Life: The Runaways
by YGP
Summary: AU. The second part of the story "Life". After an incident, Xion can no longer remember her past including a special person in it. Now she struggles to chose between her past and her present. Roxas/Xion, Xion/Riku
1. Prologue

_**Author's Notes:**_ _It's been a while since I've posted a new story here! I had a few sitting on my computers for years and I wanted to release them before the new game comes out!_

 _If you would like to follow the whole story "Life" with all three parts: "The Other Side Of The Fence", "Sibling Rivalry", and "The Runaways", make sure you follow "Life" already posted, otherwise feel free to read and follow each story separately! This one mainly focuses on Roxas and Xion._

* * *

 _~The Runaways~_

 _Xion_

 _~The Alone and Broken~_

Over time she had learned to smile more since the incident months ago. Things for her were finally normal. She was at peace. There were lapses in her memory as to what had happened to her. At times she wanted to remember, but at other times, she thought it was better to leave the past forgotten.

"Xion!"

Surprised, she felt someone grab onto her arm. She looked over to see a dark red-haired girl grin toward her. Xion relaxed as she instantly recognized the familiar face. "Kairi." The times she saw her, she was grateful. If it wasn't for Kairi, she wouldn't have been a part of a new family. The two of them had gotten along really well. Kairi had always treated her like a sister, but now in writing they were. If it wasn't for her, she wouldn't have felt as if she had a normal life again. Now she had a warm bed to return to at the mayor's house with her new mother and father. There were very few memories from her past, but part of that didn't matter anymore. She liked her new life now with her friends.

As they walked, another figure came toward them. Both of them had smiled. Kairi nodded toward Xion as she smiled and waved toward the silver haired teenage walking toward them. He smiled toward Kairi before he turned his attention to Xion. The two had started walking together.

 _Roxas_

 _~The One Who Never Was~_

From the floor above, the blonde, spiked haired boy walked beside his three friends. Hayner and Pence were going on about a beach story they had shared together. A part of him was listening until he looked over the edge of the railing. The slight smile had disappeared from his face. Below, he spotted the raven-haired girl walking and smiling. Every time he had spotted her, all he felt was guilt and sadness in the pit of his stomach. More than anything he wanted to speak to her again, but he held back ever since the day they had met again after what happened to her. The time he had ran into her inside of the hall, he could still remember it clearly.

 _The moment that they had saw each other again, he had called out to her. "Xion!" He grabbed onto her shoulders as she stared at him surprised. "Xion! You're all right!" There was moment of silence between them. His eyes searched her. A feeling of unease came over him. She seemed lost._

 _Then she had seemed to relax. "Oh!" He breathed out in relief. He was glad that she was okay. The first words he heard from her had made his heart dropped in his chest. "Um…? You're-you're Sora's brother right?" His eyes widened and lifted up toward her. He had searched her face, hoping that it was some kind of joke, but the innocent smile on her face had told her otherwise. "Kairi told me that he had a brother. You must be him."_

 _He stared with his mouth open in shock. "You…Xion it's me! Roxas!"_

 _Nervously she rubbed her head. "I'm sorry… I don't…really remember you…" His eyes shook. It couldn't be. Xion looked uneasy. "I…don't remember much since my accident." She walked passed him, feeling bad. It seemed to have hit him hard. "Maybe I'll see you around…"_

Until this day, he still didn't understand how she could have forgotten him, but it also seemed that she thought what happened to her was an accident. Regardless, he had to find a way to make amends. The past had continued haunted him. He couldn't forgive himself for not being there to save her.

"Roxas! Roxas!" Roxas snapped out of his thoughts to feel Pence shaking his shoulder. His friends had looked at him concerned. "You're doing it again," Pence pointed out.

Since they had become his friends some months ago, they had been worried about him. There were times he would zone out while he was deep in thought. When they asked about it, he didn't want to talk about it. Roxas gave them a bittersweet smile. "Oh…! Sorry…" He placed his hand in his pocket and walked. Hayner, Pence, and Olette had followed behind. Roxas took one last glance toward the floor below him toward her again. Another feeling had dwelled in his stomach which made him frown. It seemed that every time that he saw her, she always had the same person walking with her. A few thoughts came to mind about why he was a little upset when he saw Riku walk with Xion, but he couldn't pin the feeling exactly.

 _Riku_

 _~A Chosen Second~_

"How are you feeling today?"

He smiled toward Xion who had smiled back. "You ask that every day. I'm fine."

"You sure?"

She nodded. A relieved smile appeared. The two had become inseparable over the last several months. At first, he had only heard about her through Kairi. Every day she had visited Xion in the hospital. The first time he had offered to go with her was the first time he had officially met Xion. It wasn't the best of first meetings, but he could understand that. She had been through something traumatic. The bruises and cuts on her were noticeable, but he had done his best to be comforting. Xion was silence toward him at first, mainly talking to Kairi since the two had known each other longer, but over time, they began talking. Afterwards, there were times he had visited her alone at the hospital. He was still uncertain about how she had ended there. The little bit she had told him just seemed to fade in the back of her mind. Now whenever he had asked if she had remembered something, she would always tell him that she hadn't. From then on, he decided not to press her on it anymore and to move on. He had made it his mission to watch over to make sure that she didn't get hurt again. Over time, the two had become good friends. They had spoken every day mainly through school. He had grown to care about her.

"Riku?"

"Hm?" He snapped out of his thoughts and turned his attention to her.

Curious she had tilted her head. "What are you thinking about?"

He smiled a little. "Just thinking about…how we met."

It surprised her that it was on his mind, but she pushed it aside. She tried not to remember the reason she was in the hospital. "What's important is that we know each other now." He nodded in agreement.

* * *

 _Thank you for reading! I'll be back to update soon!_


	2. Remember Me

_**Author's Notes:** Thank you for reading! Here's the next chapter!_

* * *

 _The Runaways (Roxas, Xion, Riku, and the Organization side of the story)_

 _Chapter 1: Remember Me:_

Xion brushed off her uniform, getting ready for another day of high school. Before she stepped out of the room, she glanced toward her desk. She noticed a seashell near one of the corners. It was separate from the other shells that she kept beside each other on her desk. Everyday she saw them, but, no matter how often she saw them, no memory came from it. It was still a mystery to her. Curious, she stepped over and held the lone shell in her fingers. Then her eyes traveled over toward the remaining shells. It felt as if her memories deliberately blocked her from remembering. It had made her a little disappointed, but maybe it was for the best. She slipped the shell into her bag and took off for school.

* * *

"Kairi? Do you mind if I ask you something?"

Kairi looked over curious at Xion. "What is it?"

Xion reached into her bag and pulled out the shell. She already asked Kairi a couple of times, but the question still remained in her mind. Sometimes it felt overwhelming enough to ask again. "I know I asked before but… when I was in the hospital, are you sure you didn't see who left the shells for me?"

Kairi gave a sympathetic look as she shook her head. "No. Every time I came in, you just seemed to have more and the nurses wouldn't say anything. I guess whoever sent them asked them not to." Disappointed, Xion's eyes traveled down to the ground. Kairi tilted her head to see her face. "This has been really bothering you hasn't it?"

"I should probably get rid of them, but…I can't until I thank the person who gave them to me. Whenever I woke up, I saw a new shell and it made me happy. It made me look forward to getting a new shell every day and what it would look like." Feeling that she was going on too long, she nervously smiled at Kairi. "Sorry!"

Kairi let out a gentle smile. "It's all right. I'm glad that you were able to find something that made you happy after what happened."

Xion gave a grateful look. "You helped with that too. Thank you."

Kairi wrapped her arm around Xion's arm. "I knew that we would get along!"

Xion's eyes traveled down, thinking. "But it did…make me sad when the shells stopped all of a sudden. I never knew why."

"Maybe one day you'll remember. Then maybe one day you'll find out and you'll be able to thank them," Kairi sounded hopeful.

"Maybe…" Xion whispered.

After school was over for the day, Xion let out a sigh as she stared down at the large book in front of her. Usually she went to the library to study. She found the time she spent alone there relaxed her. Starting to feel tired, she closed the book and packed away her other books into her bag. As she walked out of the library, she fiddled around with her bag, trying to close it, but soon her books slipped out her bag. She kneeled down and started picking them up. Seconds later, another pair of hands started to help. Surprised, Xion lifted up her head. In front of her, she saw the blonde, spiked hair boy that she had seen before. At that moment, her mind couldn't recall his name. Once she packed her books away, they both stood up and faced each other. Xion felt a little uneasy as the boy stared at her. "Thank you." She turned and started walking away.

"Xion!" It wasn't often that he had a chance to see her so now this had to be his chance.

Xion looked over a little uneasy. "Um…?"

A disappointed look came on his face. "You still don't remember me do you…?"

Xion looked down. "…No."

He let out a sigh as his eyes traveled away from her. Then he looked curious as he noticed something on the floor. He leaned over and picked up a shell, giving it a curious look. "You still have it…" The words made Xion freeze in place. "At least one of them…"

What did he know about the shell and why would he say that specifically? Uneasy, Xion stepped toward him. She didn't know why she felt the way she did when she was around him. It seemed her body knew something her memories didn't. "How…How did you know about…?" She placed her hands together in front of her. "Who are you…?"

His eyes searched her. "It's me. Roxas." Through her eyes, he could see she still didn't remember.

"Roxas…" The name somehow felt familiar on her tongue, but she didn't know why. Xion looked curious. "How do you know about the seashel-?"

"Xion!" Xion looked back to see Riku heading toward her. He looked over surprised as he noticed Roxas behind her. "Hey!"

"Hey," Roxas replied back uneasy.

Riku turned his attention back to Xion. "Ready?" Xion nodded as she smiled toward him. She glanced back at Roxas before she walked away with Riku. Disappointment filled Roxas again. Maybe she really had moved on with her life. He didn't know when he would get the chance to see her again especially when it seemed that they were finally getting somewhere.

Xion stared down as she walked. Her thoughts were back in the hall where Roxas was. Then her eyes widened as she realized the shell she brought with her was gone. Riku noticed her reaction. "Something wrong?"

Xion shook her head and smiled toward him, erasing her thoughts. "It's nothing."

* * *

Roxas stared at the shell in his hand. It's been a few days since he last saw Xion. Since she still carried the shells, maybe there was a chance that she would still remember him. "Roxas? Roxas?"

Roxas snapped out of his thoughts and looked over at Pence behind him. He gave him a concerned look. Olette and Hayner caught up with him. She looked concerned at him as well. "Are you okay? You were zoning out again."

Roxas smiled a little. "Sorry…! It's nothing."

Pence smiled. "Do you guys want to stop and get some sea salt ice cream?" Everyone nodded in agreement. They started walking as they talked with each other. Pence glanced down at Roxas's arm as he grinned. "So? Are you finally going to tell us how you got that scar on your arm?"

Roxas rubbed the back of his head as he looked uneasy. "Um…? Maybe another time?"

"Roxas?" Roxas looked in front of him surprised. His eyes met with a curious Xion.

Pence, Olette, and Hayner looked surprised. Roxas stepped forward. "Xion." He was surprised that he ran into her.

"I…had some free time. Could I ask about… something you said the other day?"

Roxas glanced back toward his friends. Hayner placed his hands on his shoulder as he smirked. "If you want to be left alone, then that's cool with us." They walked forward passed them as they waved him off.

Olette gave a comforting smile. "Just meet us at the usual place after you're done."

After they walked away, Roxas and Xion turned their attention to each other. "What was it that you wanted to ask me?" Xion glanced toward the ground before she looked up at him. Roxas looked curious toward her. "Do you want to go somewhere?" Xion nodded.

Together, they walked in silence until they made it toward the ocean. Both of them stood near the water as a cool breeze blew passed them. Roxas looked over at Xion wondering what she was thinking. Before he could ask, she spoke. "Were we…ever friends?"

The first question surprised him, but then he relaxed. "Yeah."

"Hmm…" Xion stared toward the ocean confused and concerned. "Then why can't I remember you…? I haven't been able to remember anything since my accident. When I try, I just can't." Xion looked over at him. "So I'm sorry if I can't remember you…" Xion held onto her hands in front of her. "I've been wondering for a while now who had left the shells for me by my bed in the hospital." She looked over curious. "Was it you?" Silently he nodded. A gentle smile came to her face. Now she finally knew who she could thank. "Thank you. I wanted to say that for the longest time."

A smile came to his face as well. "Back when we used to be together, you liked collecting them."

Xion looked toward the side. She still wondered why she couldn't remember him. She put her hand to the side of her face. "I still don't understand why I was in the hospital or why I can't remember-."

A deep frown came on his lips. "What happened to you wasn't an accident..."

Right away she looked over surprised. There was a dark tone to his voice. "What do you mean?"

His eyes stayed down as he looked serious. "Something bad happened and…I should have been there to help when you were in trouble." Words escaped her. It obvious that he knew what happened, but did she want to know? Overwhelmed, she looked toward the ground. He turned more toward her. "I'm sorry! I wanted to say that for a long time too."

Xion looked surprised. Then she noticed his arm. There was a long scar. "How…did you get that?"

Roxas glanced down at his arm. "After…you were in the hospital…I ended up there too."

She stared at him stunned. "Why?"

"I went after the person who hurt you…They ended up hurting me in return." It was a lot for her to take in. She thought about her own scars on her body. Who would have done this to them? More than that, was she sure if she wanted to remember what happened? "I've been waiting…to talk to you for a while now, but you don't seem to remember…" Xion breath shortened as she listened. It sounds like her not remembering had really hurt him. Roxas smiled a little toward her. "I'm just glad that you're okay."

He turned and started walking away, but then she reached out her hand toward him. "Wait! Roxas!" Roxas stopped as he looked surprised. "Will you… tell me a few other things?" A smile appeared on his lips. It seems that they really were getting somewhere.

Time had passed by them. Before they knew it, it was night. Xion blinked surprised as she looked up at the sky. Right away she noticed the stars. "Oh! I better get back." She smiled toward him. "Thank you Roxas."

Gently, he smiled back. Both of them stood up in front of each other. "I could walk you home if you want."

She nodded toward him. "Sure." Minutes later, they had reached her house. She smiled toward him again. "Thank you for walking me back."

He rubbed the back of his head as he smiled a little. "Maybe we can hang out like we used to."

"I would like that. I wished I could remember…"

At first, he hesitated as his hand lifted. Her voice had sounded sincere in wanting to know. "Do you want help remembering?" For a moment her eyes widened as she stared at him. She thought that she wanted to, but now she wasn't sure. Something inside of her was afraid of traveling back to the unknown. Then Roxas blinked surprised as he remembered something. "Oh!" He reached into his pocket. Then he grabbed onto her hand and turned it so that her palm was facing up. He placed his other hand on top. "Here!" Once he removed his hand, she saw a seashell.

Xion looked down surprised. "Oh! It's one of the shells that you gave me."

He let out a smile. "Yeah." Her eyes lifted up to his. At that moment, something had felt familiar between them. "Xion? Xion?!" Her lips parted as she seemed in a trance. "Xi-?"

"There were nights like this where we would just look up at the stars."

The words surprised him. "You actually remember?"

Xion looked at him surprised at what she said. "Sort of. I guess… it just feels like we've done this before. Am I right?"

"Yeah." In return, Xion was proud that she remembered. Relieved he smiled. It also made him happy as well to see her smile again. A feeling deep in his chest came over him as he watched her. Then he noticed that he was still holding onto her hand, but he wasn't ready to let go yet. He was glad to be around her again. He stepped closer toward her. "I'm glad…"

Xion took notice of how close they were, but she didn't seem to mind. She thought that she was familiar enough with him that she was comfortable being close to him. In silence, she stared in his eyes to see if something else came to her, but nothing else did. She took her hand away as his hand reached for her. "I should go." Uneasy she looked down. "Thanks for tonight." Xion glanced at him as she smiled. "Good night."

He gave a slight wave. "Good night…" He watched as she headed inside.

* * *

The thoughts of yesterday still weighed heavily on her mind and yet it was strange. It still felt like her memories of Roxas were a blur, yet familiar, but something inside of still kept her memories back from her. Yesterday kept going through her mind as she walked through the hall.

" _Well_ …I'm surprised that you would show your face again." Xion lifted her eyes surprised as she noticed someone step in front of her. In front of her, she saw a blonde, short haired hair girl with antenna strands hanging on each side of her head. She had piercing green eyes and a glaring smirk. Behind her she noticed two other guys. "Hello…?" Then she turned her attention back to the woman. "Psst! Don't act all innocence with me." She placed her fingers underneath Xion's chin. "You don't seem scared at all. So? You think you're tough now?"

Xion looked worried. "I…don't know what you mean."

The woman arched her eyebrow. "What?! You don't know me now?"

Xion shook her head. "No."

"Huh?!" She grabbed onto Xion's shirt. "You remember me now? This should remind you."

"Let her go Larxene!" Everyone looked over to see Roxas at the other end of the hall angry and on edge.

Behind Larxene, Axel looked surprised. "Roxas?!"

Zexion placed his fingers to his chin as he looked curious. "Roxas. I'm surprised that you would show your face."

Xion glanced between the two worried. Roxas baled his fist. "I said let go of her now!" Xion closed her eyes tight. At that moment, she felt overwhelmed. Flashes of images appeared in her mind. His voice had triggered something else inside of her. Her hands reached up and grabbed onto the sides of her head. It seemed like her mind tried to remember everything at once. She breathed out as she felt lightheaded. "Xion!" Roxas looked worried as Larxene let go of her and Xion dropped to the ground unconscious. Roxas rushed over and kneeled beside her. He checked on her but she didn't respond. Angry, he looked up toward Larxene as he growled toward her. "What did you do to her?!"

Larxene shrugged her shoulders as she smirked. "I didn't do anything. She just fainted. That's what happens when you're so weak." She turned around and started walking away. Zexion glanced back and walked behind her. Axel looked uneasy and concerned toward Roxas. As much as he wanted to say something, Roxas's glare kept him silent. Soon he turned and walked away as well.

Roxas watched until they were out of sight, then looked down at Xion. He placed his hand to her face. "Xion?!"

* * *

Later, Xion groaned as she closed her eyes tight. Then she opened her eyes and stared up at the ceiling above her. _"Where…am I?"_

"Xion!" Her eyes traveled over to see a worried Kairi sitting by her bedside. "Xion are you okay?"

Riku stepped in beside her and sat down in the chair next to her. "Xion?!"

Xion sat up as she was surprised to see them. "What happened?"

Kairi grabbed onto her hand. "We heard that you fainted! Roxas found you and bought you here."

Xion lifted her eyes to see Roxas standing in the doorway. She was a little surprised to see him. The last thing she remembered was seeing him in the hallway. Xion smiled toward Riku and Kairi to assure them she was okay. "Don't worry. I'm fine."

"Are you sure?" Kairi asked concerned.

Xion nodded. "Yeah." She glanced toward the door again. Roxas stared at her concerned before he turned and walked away. Xion placed her head down. Little by little, she started to remember why she fainted.

* * *

The next day, Xion walked out of the library. She stared down toward the floor. Now that she remembered some of her past, she wasn't sure how much more she wanted to remember. Then she noticed something that looked familiar. When she lifted her head, she saw Roxas walking toward her. Both of them mirrored the same concerned look. "Xion…"

"Roxas…"

"How are you? Any better?"

Xion nodded. "Yes. I didn't mean to make anyone worry."

Roxas looked toward the side. "I can't believe you ran into her again. If she would have tried to hurt you-." Then he noticed Xion stared down toward the floor. "Xion-?"

"I don't know if I want to remember anything else."

Roxas looked surprised. "What did you remember?"

Xion shook her head. "It doesn't matter. What I remembered, I didn't want to. Maybe it would be better if…" Xion started walking away. "Maybe it would be better if I don't remember."

Roxas reached out toward her. "Xion!" She stopped in place. He placed his hand back at his side. "I don't want you to forget again. Not about me."

Xion glanced behind her. There was a sad look on his face. She debated now whether or not to try. Soon she walked away. She needed time to think...

* * *

 _Thanks for reading! I'll be back to update soon!_


	3. Breakthrough

__**Author's Notes:** Thanks for keeping up with the story! Sorry for the late update! Things have been busy, busy busy! Please enjoy the next chapter!__

* * *

 _The Runaways (Roxas, Xion, Riku, and the Organization side of the story)_

 _Chapter 2: Breakthrough:_

The morning before school started, Xion sat up out of her bed. The past few days, her mind was consumed with thoughts over what happened with Larxene, and the memories of Roxas that came to her just from being near him again. From what she remembered so far, she thought she didn't want to remember anything else that happened in her past. There were things that scared her, but then she would remember the one good thing about her past… him. It made her wonder how close to him she really was. He started to change her mind about remembering her past. She wanted to know why he had the long scar on his arm, why he was in the hospital the same time she was, and if they were truly friends. She stood up out of her bed to get ready for school. If the answer came to her, she would be prepared for it.

* * *

Roxas leaned against the kitchen counter as he twirled the seashell he found at the beach slowly against the wood. Before, he intended to give it to Xion, but he didn't know what she would do. Would she accept it or throw it away because it would bring up the memories of their old days? His eyes lowered. He wondered if Xion had truly forgotten everything and him. He couldn't be sure, but so far, it seemed that way.

Sora walked over to the counter and sat down in front of him. He noticed that Roxas was deep in thought. Sora smiled. "Roxas!"

"Hm?" Roxas lifted his eyes to see the bright-eyed boy sitting across from him.

Sora tilted his head toward the side a little, curious. "What's got you so down?"

Roxas looked toward the counter. "Nothing…" he muttered.

Sora gave a comforting smile. "Hey! You can tell me. I thought that's what big brothers were for."

Roxas's eyes met with Sora's. He could see his sincerity. Then he thought that maybe he had a point. He could put Sora to the test. Maybe it would help him figure out what to do afterwards. Roxas stood up straight from the counter. "All right… There's this person I know... Well…We've known each other for a while, but then something happened to her." Disappointed, his eyes lowered toward the counter. "At first, she didn't seem to remember me, but now… I don't know whether she doesn't really remember me or if she's pretending not to."

Sora gave a sly smirk. " _So_ …It's a girl huh?" Roxas looked over surprised. Sora placed his hand to his head, curious. "Was she in an accident?"

Roxas decided not to give away too much away. "Something bad happened to her yes."

Sora looked at him confused. "Did she hit her head or something?" Roxas sighed with his eyes closed as he scratched the side of his head. He wasn't sure if Sora would be able to help without hearing the whole story. Across from him, Sora still wanted to help. "Well… maybe she did forget. I see it matters a lot to you." Roxas looked down. He knew it did. Sora could read it on his face. He leaned forward against the table. "You must care about her a lot to worry so much."

Roxas looked surprised. He thought that Sora was getting the wrong idea. "It's not like that."

Sora looked confused. "I just mean this girl must be a good friend of yours for you to want her to remember you again. If the two of you were good friends, then I don't think she would try to ignore you on purpose." Roxas thought that Sora brought up a point. He thought that Xion and him were good friends. Then, Sora gave a sly smirk as he pointed toward him. "Since I see your face going red… can I ask if you actually like her?"

Roxas looked nervous but upset. "Stop playing around Sora."

Sora looked down at his hand. "Is that seashell for her or did you started collecting those now?" Roxas didn't answer as he looked down at the shell. He wrapped his hand around it. Sora smiled. He was starting to get more of answer out of him. "Well…"

"I don't know if she would take this," Roxas replied lowly.

"If it's from you, then I'm sure she will," Sora assured him. Roxas looked up at him and smiled a little. "So does that mean you do like her?"

Roxas frowned toward him as Sora grinned. "Let it go..."

Sora shrugged. "I'm just saying if she's special to you, then you should tell her how you feel…" He smirked toward him as he pointed. "…or you could show her."

Roxas turned away from him. "Then you should tell Kairi how you feel."

Sora gave him a confused look. "What are you talking about? I'm already with Kairi."

Roxas arched his eyebrow. "Really? You hang out with Kairi and Namine so much that I couldn't tell which one was your girlfriend." Sora's eyes traveled toward the side. He knew Roxas was right. He could see the sad look on Kairi's face sometimes when he would spend time with Namine. Roxas didn't mean to make him sad, but he had to be honest so that he wouldn't lose Kairi. He knew how much he had cared about her. "Ready?"

Sora looked up and smiled a little. "Yeah." Afterwards, Sora stood up and headed with Roxas to school.

* * *

In the hallway of school, they stopped before they went into class. Sora looked over to see Kairi waiting for him. He left Roxas to catch up with her. Roxas looked over the other way. Further down, he spotted Xion walking beside Riku. There was a grin on her face as she carried her books close to her chest. A frown appeared. He wondered how close the two of them really were. Then he noticed his own reaction to the two of them. Roxas was surprised at himself. He actually felt… a little jealous. He thought that maybe Sora's talk had gotten to him. Then his eyes traveled toward the floor. He remembered when she smiled at him that way before. In his pocket, he could feel the seashell that he brought with him. He still debated about giving it to her. Soon, he headed inside of his classroom.

As the day passed, he dwelled more about his past with Xion. He knew that he wanted to protect her just in case someone decided to hurt her again and he felt he owed her. He even gave Sora's question some thought as to how much he cared about her. Apart of him thought it was crazy that he could have feeling for her. The two of them were just good friends before. He decided later that he would see her again.

When the end of school came, Xion stayed behind to help at the library for a few hours. Afterwards, she got ready to head for home. When she stepped out, she became surprised. Roxas was nearby waiting. She wasn't sure what to say or ask. The two walked up to each other and stood close. "Xion?" Even when she stood in front of him, face to face, no words would leave her lips. Roxas looked down uneasy as he reached into his pocket. He pulled out the seashell that he carried with him all day. "Here. I want you to have this. When I found this, I thought of you."

Slowly, she took it from his hand. "Thank you. It's really pretty." She stared at it for a few more seconds in her hand. "Why did you think of me?" she whispered. He looked at her, but didn't answer. Her eyes lowered. "Please tell me." He looked toward the floor. "Hmm… When I woke up in the hospital and I found these beside my bed…" A little smile came to Xion's face. "…I asked the same question back then." Inside, Roxas felt a little nervous as she spoke. Xion enclosed the shell in her hand. "Thank you. I'll keep this with the other shells you gave me. You really know how to pick them."

Roxas smiled gently. "You're welcome."

Xion placed her hair behind her ear as she looked away. "I wish I could've given you something in return. I know you were in the hospital as well."

Roxas shook his head. "Don't worry about it." He let out a smile. "I'm just glad that they made you happy."

She placed her hands together, concerned. "I'm sorry that you ended up in the hospital because of me..."

Roxas looked concerned. "No! It wasn't your fault!"

Xion put her head down, sad. "Roxas…"

Anxious, he placed his hands on her shoulders. "I couldn't let them get away with what they did!"

Xion grabbed onto the seashell he had given her tightly and pressed her fist against her chest. She stared toward the ground. "So? You are saying you got hurt…because of me."

He didn't want her to blame herself. "Xion!"

"You should stay away from me before…I can hurt you again…" Her eyes traveled toward the side. "Maybe it's better that I don't remember anymore."

Roxas's eyes widened. "Xion! Don't ever blame yourself for what happened! It was my choice!" Quickly, he grabbed her hands. Her eyes had widened as well. He stared intensely. "And I don't want you to stop remembering me! I still want you to! I want my friend back!" His hand tensed in hers. He put his head down with his eyes closed tight. "I just want you back…"

Xion watched him, stunned. His words had touched her. She had no idea how strongly he felt. Softly she breathed out. She leaned her forehead against his with her eyes closed. It was then she decided that she wanted to remember him completely. "From what I remembered, you've never hurt me. I know you won't."

Their heads lifted up a little, letting their eyes meet. "Never," he assured her. Their bodies stood inches apart. Xion's hand opened up with the shell still inside. His hand kept it for falling as his fingers intertwined with hers. As he gazed into her eyes, he could feel a lump grow in his throat. Feelings rose inside of him that felt different and unknown. While his mind seemed unsure, his body acted on its own. He leaned forward as his eyes lowered more. Xion took notice. Her mind thought about moving, but her body stayed. She wasn't sure why, but she wouldn't argue against it. He took it as a sign that she knew what he was doing and that it was okay. Roxas closed his eyes along with Xion's. Her head tilted up as he leaned down. Slowly, he pressed his lips against hers. At first touch, her lips felt so soft and tasted sweet like candy. One of his hands slipped from hers and wrapped around her waist. He pressed her closer to his body. As they kissed, Xion's memories flashed before her.

 _Roxas sat across from her on the sidewalk. He held a light blue popsicle in front of her as he smiled. "Here. It's salty, but sweet. It's really good." She grabbed it from his hand. He tilted his head toward her. "We should come here and have these every day." She smiled as she nodded._

After that memory came to her, one after another came.

 _Roxas held a shiny blue orb between his fingers as he smiled toward her. "Here."_

 _She took it in her hands. "But this is yours. You won this in the Struggle."_

 _Roxas sat in front of her. "You were the one who believed that I would win it. I want you to have it." He gave her a gentle smile. "That way you'll always have something to remember me by…"_

Xion separated from him as she opened her eyes. She stared up at him surprised. Roxas still held onto her hand as he tried to read her expression. "Xion? What is it?" She didn't answer. In her mind she wanted to shout that she remembered things about him, but no words left her lips. "Xion-?"

"Xion!" a voice called out. Quickly, Xion turned around and forced her hands out of Roxas's once she recognized the familiar voice. The move surprised Roxas, but inside, it made him disappointed. Ahead they spotted Riku heading toward them. Xion held onto the seashell Roxas had given her. She walked over and met Riku half way. She could see the serious look on his face. "What's going on?"

Xion shook her head. "Nothing. I-." When she looked back, she became surprised. Roxas was already gone. She calmed down and searched around, but seen him nowhere. She turned back to Riku. "I was just talking."

He looked confused toward her. "That looked like more than just talking."

Xion shook her head. "Really we were just talking." When she stared at him, it didn't seem like he caught the kiss between them. Riku let out a sigh. He didn't believe her, but turned and started walked beside her. When he spotted the two of them, he noticed that they were standing really close to each other and things had looked intense. He couldn't erase from his mind Roxas holding her hand. As they walked, Xion moved the seashell in her hand and grabbed onto it tightly.

Once they left, Roxas stepped out of the corner he was hiding in. He didn't want to start a confrontation especially getting her involved. He saw her hand move the seashell inside. His eyes traveled down. He wondered what she thought about the kiss they shared and where things would go from there.

After she got home, Xion returned to her room. She went into her dresser and searched under her clothes, but found nothing. Then she moved on to her nightstand and searched through the top drawer first. When she looked through, she found the object from her memories. She pulled out the blue orb that Roxas had given her. A surprised look came on her face. It was the exact blue orb from her memory. So far, all of her memories of Roxas had been good. As she sat on the floor, she held onto the orb tightly and wondered why she had forgotten all of her memories of him instead of the bad ones. When she opened her eyes, the memory of their kiss came to her. She pressed two of her fingertips to her bottom lip. The feeling of his lips was a little dry and rough, but it had complimented her own. She enjoyed the kiss from him, but wondered why she had given into him in the first place. Along with that came how bad she felt when she didn't tell Riku what happened.

More thoughts led to more questions as to whether she cared about him in the past and whether feelings are coming up for him now. She sat down on the bed. She held the orb in both of her hands and stared at it. Afterwards, she placed the shell in her hand he had given her also along with it. At first, she wanted to give up the memories of her past, but now she wasn't so sure. She wanted to recall the memories of him regardless if the bad ones came with it. She gripped the things in her hand tightly. She would have to be strong to remember the memories she had locked inside of her. It was the only way she could fully remember him.

* * *

In one of the gang's hideout, a few members of the organization were sitting around on chairs and couches. Larxene kicked her legs back and forth over the arm rest as she slouched in her chair, bored. "When are we going to get to do something big? I'm tired of doing these little "jobs". We can handle the big stuff."

Marluxia tossed his hair aside with his hand. "Why are you in such a rush? You really want to get your hands dirty?"

Larxene frowned. "Because I'm bored. Nothing happens on our end…" she groaned.

Marluxia sighed with his eyes closed. "I'm going home. Call me when something interesting happens."

Larxene rolled her eyes as they watched Marluxia leave. Then she smirked over at Axel. "Hey! I got some interesting news for ya!"

Axel frowned toward Larxene tired. "What?"

"You know that Xion girl? The one we "kicked" out of the organization." Larxene used her fingers for quotation marks. She wanted to laugh when she said the word "kicked" since it was figural and literal. "Well I saw her again. Somehow, she's still alive and kicking."

Saix rolled his eyes as he frowned. "So? Why bother us about it?"

Larxene shrugged. "Hey! I'm just saying I'm surprised she's still alive after the number we did on her. Roxas too." Axel looked down once he heard his name. Larxene pulled out her knives. "I almost finished the job, but that stupid brat Roxas got in the way." Axel wished Larxene wouldn't run her mouth about Roxas, but he didn't move his lips to speak.

Vexen arched his eyebrow as he grinned. "Larxene? Are you really that blood thirsty?"

Larxene got upset. "I'm just saying that we let them get away."

"Enough." Everyone turned their heads toward Zexion. He closed his eyes and walked away.

Larxene held out her arms, angry that she wasn't getting any response from him. "Can't we mess with her at least?"

Zexion looked over at Vexen. "Ready to head back?"

Vexen nodded. "Yes. Let's get this back to Master Xehanort." Then he frowned at Larxene. "Do what you want."

Saix followed behind them. "Just don't do anything that'll cause attention to us."

Larxene smirked deviously. "Oh please! If I killed her today and hid the body, no one would miss her."

Demyx looked curious. "Why are you so obsessed with her? That just seems crazy to me."

Larxene growled at him. "Because we don't do anything anymore! You wouldn't let me help! Can't you put a good word in? Even that idiot gets to help."

"Hey!" Demyx shouted.

Vexen grinned. "You want something interesting to happen? How about you try leaving the organization? Then the same thing that happened to her can happen to you." Larxene frowned as she got a few laughs out of the crowd. Larxene and Axel were left behind.

Larxene let out a loud growl. Axel looked over serious. "What do you expect? You almost killed someone in the group."

"So what? She was going to leave anyway! Isn't that what happens when you try to leave?"

Axel's eyes traveled toward the side. "That's not the point. They think you're out of control."

Larxene smirked as an idea came to mind of how to cure her boredom. She rubbed the bottom of his chin. "I can think of something that can get out of control…" She leaned in toward his face, but he turned his head away. "Awe…! You're still mad at me…" She placed his hands on his knees as she smirked. "I know how to make you feel better..."

* * *

 _Thanks for reading!_


	4. Please! Let Me Remember You

_**Author's Notes:** Thanks for keeping up with the story and sending in a review! I hope you'll like the next chapter of the story!_

* * *

 _The Runaways (Roxas, Xion, Riku, and the Organization side of the story)_

 _Chapter 3: Please! Let Me Remember You:_

 _The darkness surrounded her as her body laid naked against the cold ground. The cold water hit her skin as the ground below her became softer. She was freezing, but there was nothing she could do to keep herself warm. Her body was in too much pain from the bruises and cuts. The light faded from her eyes as she stared forward. Soon, her world became covered in darkness._

Xion jumped up from her bed as she breathed heavily. Sweat rolled down the side of her face from the nightmare she just had. She closed her eyes tight as she let her body calm down. When she first moved into the mayor's house, she used to scream out every time when she would have nightmares. Most nights, her adopted mother would come in to comfort her. Kairi and her adopted father would try to comfort her as well. Namine would usually ask what was going on, concerned. They were the only ones who knew what was going on with her, but they weren't sure what the cause was. Her adopted mother would squeeze her tight as tears would fall from Xion's eyes. It used to take a while for her to calm down. Eventually, she had stopped screaming and crying every time she would have the same nightmare. After a few minutes, Xion calmed down and laid back against her bed. She looked up at the dark ceiling as her arm rested across her stomach. The search through her memories for Roxas had not been an easy one after going through the bad ones. At one point, she thought she didn't need to remember any more than what she already had, but she still had questions about him. She turned over on her side and fell back asleep, hoping that the same nightmare would not come back to haunt her. She would have to think of another way to remember Roxas.

Later, Xion woke up on time and went to school along with Namine and Kairi. When she spoke to Riku, she could tell that he was still curious about what happened with Roxas. She was thankful that Riku didn't catch them kiss. She didn't want to hurt him. At the same time, Xion still wondered whether she cared about Roxas or not...

When school was done, Xion worked in the library as usual, and as usual, it was a quiet day. Still, she thought about Roxas and her memories of him. She kept the orb he gave with her just in case she saw him again. After a few hours, Xion stepped out of the library to head for home. "Xion!"

Xion looked back to see Roxas stand nearby. She was surprised that he waited for her again. "Roxas?" She walked over and stood in front of him. "How long have you been waiting here?"

"Since school ended," he answered.

Nervously she looked up at him. "Why do you always show up after I leave here?"

He gave her a nervous look as he rubbed the back of head. "Well…I usually don't see you the whole day so…"

She smiled. "I understand. I was wondering when you would show up again." He smiled a little. She stepped in closer to him. "I…I've been trying to…" She looked up at him and smiled. "I've been trying to remember you."

Roxas became curious. It was the answer he had looked for all along. She truly didn't remember him, but he didn't understand why. "Well I can tell you everything I remember."

"That should help." Xion looked down concerned. "I've been trying to remember on my own but… all I kept remembering is… the bad memories."

Roxas looked concerned. She reached into her bag and grabbed the blue orb. She held it up in her hand which he looked surprised. "You kept it?"

Xion stared at the orb before she looked back at him. "Yeah. I remembered it…when you kissed me." The memory of yesterday made him nervous. She looked down and thought back. "It seems every time I get close to you, I remember something about you, but when I try to think about you on my own, I can only remember the bad." She looked up at him to see him surprised. She blushed as she thought of how she must've sound to him. "Sorry…"

Roxas shook his head. "Don't be. So what do you want to know?"

Xion smiled nervously. The blush still didn't leave her face. "Why…Why did…?" Nervously, she looked up at him. "Why did you kiss me…?"

He was surprised by her question, but then looked nervous. "Well…I'm not sure. I just…wanted to..."

Xion placed her fist near her mouth as she giggled. "You just wanted to?"

He laughed nervously. Then he crossed his arms. "So why did you kiss me back and not push me away?"

Xion's eyes traveled along the ground. "I wasn't sure either…" The two stared at each other in silence for a few seconds. Then she smiled a little. "What can you tell me?"

Roxas looked toward the side as he thought. Then, he looked over at her again. His eyes became caught in hers. He remembered what she said about how, whenever they were close, she would remember something. Then he smiled as a thought came to mind. "Let's see what you can remember." Xion was curious as to what he meant. Once she saw him move in close, she looked surprised. He noticed her reaction. "It worked the last time." Afterwards, Xion nodded. He leaned in closer to her and pressed her lips against hers. Both of them closed their eyes. He wrapped his arms around her as she placed her hands against his chest. Their kiss lasted longer than the last. He stepped forward as she stepped back until she felt her back hit the wall.

They continued to kiss passionately. As they kissed, her mind started to race. Soon, it opened and her memories begun to flow. Memory after memory from the first time they met to the times they spend together. Her hand slid against the skin of her neck into the blond strands of his head. Soon, her mind faded into the background as she enjoyed the feel of his lips to hers. Neither one of them cared at that moment if anyone saw them in the hall. As long as they were together, that was what mattered. They continued to kiss for minutes until they had run out of breath. Afterwards, their lips parted. Roxas and Xion opened their eyes to look at each other. They could hear each other breathing hard. "I remember." Then, Xion smiled. She leaned her forehead against his. "I remember it all."

After they parted, Roxas stared at her stunned. "How is that possible?"

She couldn't believe it either. "I don't know, but… I remember you." She grabbed his hand. "I remember everything from when we were in the organization together." She leaned toward him. "You were always nice to me." A smile crossed his lips. She seemed happy at that moment. Soon, she pressed her lips against his. Instantly, he had given in. All of a sudden, they heard a noise which had made them split apart and jump. They looked over to see a janitor pick up a broom off the floor. He looked over at them. They stared at him for a little before Roxas took her hand and ran off.

The janitor was a little surprised how they just took off. He wasn't sure why, but then continued cleaning. "Kids…"

Roxas and Xion kept running through the hallway. She wondered why he was running so fast. "Roxas?! Where are we going?!"

He smiled back at her. "You'll see. Just follow me." He led her to the roof of the school where the edges were fenced off. Roxas sat down on a bench as he breathed hard. Xion walked passed him and stood toward the edge. She stepped up on a block as her fingers went through the holes of the fence. Roxas caught his breath and looked up at her. The wind blew through their hair and clothes. Xion spoke without turning to him. "Roxas. I remember you. I don't know how, but now I do after I tried all this time."

Roxas leaned his arms on his legs. "It's weird, but…" He looked up at her concerned. "Are you okay with remembering everything?"

Xion's eyes kept staring forward. "It hurts to remember it all, but at least… I know who you are and what you were to me. You were my friend who took care of me whenever I needed you."

Roxas turned his head away as he looked down. He wished that was true. He tried to do whatever he could for her, but he wished he could've done more, especially to save her from what the organization did. Xion started reminiscing back. "The only reason I got in the organization was because…I had nowhere else to go..." Her eyes lowered. "Both of my parents were gone. I thought that I could find people to rely on, but I didn't know what the organization really did. I didn't know they were just another gang who did nothing but bad things to people. I couldn't do it anymore. I couldn't be apart it so… I had to get out." Xion's fingers clutched tighter on the fence. "You warned me…You warned me Roxas that something bad would happen to me if I tried to leave or run away." She closed her eyes tight and leaned her head against the fence. She tried to hold her tears back. "And… that's exactly what happened."

Roxas could hear it in her voice that she tried not to cry. His fists baled together in his lap. His body began to shake. "You almost died..." he whispered out loud. Xion turned around. She heard what he said. She walked toward him. "I couldn't stop it! I couldn't save you!"

Xion leaned down in front of him and placed her hand on his leg. He almost forgot she was there for a second. He lifted his head up. She could see it in his face that it was tearing him up as much as her. She smiled her best smile despite how sad she felt. "Don't blame yourself. The important thing is that we're out of there and we're here today."

"But you'll always have to live with the memories." He closed his eyes tight. His hands pressed against the sides of his head. "It's my fault! I'm such an idiot!"

Xion gave him a surprised look. "Roxas…? What are you talking about?"

He shook his head a little. "I knew it! I knew they were going to attack you ahead of time!" Xion's eyes widened. She wondered, but didn't think Roxas intended for her to get attacked. She moved in closer to him and leaned the side of her head against his. Roxas relaxed as he felt her close to him. She wrapped her arms around him. The two stayed like that for a couple of minutes before Roxas spoke. "I'm sorry," he whispered.

She shook her head against his. "No. There's no need to be because…I know…that you wouldn't hurt me. That you tried to protect me." His eyes opened a little. He wondered if he really was strong enough to protect her. Xion stood up from him. His eyes followed her. She sat down beside him and leaned forward. "Tell me what happened."

Roxas sighed as he looked down and thought back. "At first, I didn't figure it out when they were going to attack, but I knew once you said that you planned on leaving the organization, they would try to hurt you in some way if they found out. I tried to find out when that was going to be. I confronted Axel on the street the night you got hurt because I thought he would know what they were up to. It took some time, but I got the truth out of him. He told me that the organization found out that you wanted to leave. You know the rules that they go by. Anyone who leaves the organization would pay the consequences."

Xion nodded as she looked toward the side, uneasy. "Yeah…"

Roxas closed his eyes. His face leaned on his fists. "So I asked Axel where they were going to attack you. I should've known he was lying by that look he gave me, but I was stupid and trusted him. He gave me the wrong address. I couldn't find you anywhere so I searched everywhere for you. When I found you, all I saw was you lying on the ground, hurt."

Xion looked down. They remained silent for a little. "It's not your fault," Xion assured him.

Roxas didn't respond. Then, Xion stood up and walked passed him. "Xion?" She stopped without looking back. Roxas looked uneasy. "How did you end up forgetting everything?"

She turned back to him. "It was hard... I was happy to finally have been adopted by Namine's and Kairi's parents otherwise I might have to leave the island..." Roxas looked concerned. He wouldn't have wanted that to happen and she didn't either. Xion smiled a little as she thought back. "I finally had a warm bed and a roof over my head instead of sleeping in the hideout. That's why I took the chance to leave the organization." Then she closed her eyes tight as she pressed her fist against her chest. "But after what happened… I wanted so bad to forget the pain and everything I went through that night... When I was in the hospital recovering, the nightmares started. I couldn't stand it... There was nothing I could do. I would wake up every night screaming and crying. I wouldn't stop so my new parents took me to see someone, a therapist they thought could help. He kind of did." She relaxed her hand on her chest. "I repressed all the memories I have of being in the organization including those of you. I wanted to get rid of everything from the past. I didn't want to forget about you, but it just became a light buried in the darkness." She closed her eyes. "I'm sorry…that I forgotten you, but I was afraid that you would bring my memories back up and I would have to live through the nightmares all over again."

"I understand..." Roxas looked down disappointed. "Now, because of me, I'm sure you have to relive that nightmare all over again. I didn't know…"

Xion turned away from him. "Now, because I remembered everything, I know the answers to all my questions except one."

Roxas looked curious. "What's that?"

"Why did you seek me out even after all this time? I tried moving on with this new life I have. Shouldn't you?" Roxas's eyes lowered toward the ground. Xion turned around to see his head toward the ground. She smiled nervously and waved her hands so that he wouldn't think he had done something bad. "Don't get me wrong. I'm glad I remembered you, but why try not to move on?" Roxas wondered if he should tell her about what he wanted to do. "Roxas?" she called him.

He refused to look up at her. "I…I wanted to make up for what happened... I just want to make sure that you were okay. I…owe you that much."

Xion's eyes traveled the ground. She didn't want him to get hurt again. "You don't owe me anything."

Roxas stood up as he placed his hands in his pockets. "I'm sorry…" Her eyes lifted to him curious. "I had to know if you were okay, but I didn't realize that this had cause you so much pain." He started walking away. "Maybe it was better if I had stayed away..."

Xion looked concerned as she stood up. "Roxas…" Before he could open the door, he felt her hand on top of his. "Wait. Don't leave." Roxas looked over at Xion as she looked down concerned. "Yes…It has been hard, but it was my choice to pursue this too." Her eyes lifted up to her. "I wanted to remember you because you were the closest friend I had back then. You took care of me when I had no one else. For that, I'm grateful." Roxas turned more toward her. Xion turned and smiled a little. "It's okay. I just don't want you to feel so guilty anymore." She held her hands together as she closed her eyes. "It's nice to know that you care."

"Are you sure you want me to stay with you?" he asked concerned.

She nodded. He smiled a little nervous. "I um…? I was just wondering if..." His eyes looked away and thought that she wouldn't go with his idea.

She looked curious. "What is it Roxas?"

"I was just wondering if... you still like to collect seashells on the island?"

She was surprised but then smiled. "Well it was you who got me collecting them since you give me a ton in the hospital."

Roxas laughed with his eyes closed. Xion joined in with him. Roxas opened his eyes and looked down. "Well…I was wondering if…you would like to go to the island with me to go look for some." He shrugged. "Just an idea."

"To hang out again?" Xion added. Roxas nodded in response. "Okay.

The two smiled at each other after. Xion was about to leave, but Roxas called her again. "Xion! Do you think…we could start over being friends again?"

Inside, it surprised her that he asked. Then, she smiled as she nodded. "Yeah," she told him before she left.

* * *

 _Thanks for reading! I'll be back to update soon!_


	5. Seashells By The Seashore

_**Author's Notes:** Thank you for keeping up with the story! Sorry that it took so long to update! _

* * *

_The Runaways (Roxas, Xion, Riku, and the Organization side of the story)_

 _Chapter 4: Seashells By The Seashore:_

Xion stood in front of the mirror for a few more seconds before she smiled and left the room. She ran downstairs, passed the kitchen, to get to the door. Kairi sat in the kitchen when she noticed Xion. "Xion!" Xion stepped back to see who called her. Once she seen it was Kairi, she looked curious. Kairi grinned. "So? Where are you off to in a hurry?"

Xion looked a little nervous toward the side. "Um? Somewhere…"

Kairi leaned on her hand, interested. "Somewhere as in to meet someone?" The nervousness on Xion's face grew. Kairi closed her eyes as she smiled. "You don't have to be embarrassed. It's okay."

Xion let out a gentle smile. She was anxious to get going. "I'll see you later." Kairi nodded and Xion left.

Xion headed to the island. When she got there, Roxas was already there waiting for her. She tied her boat to the dock. Roxas held out his hand to help. She took his hand as she got up on the dock and smiled. Roxas smiled back. "Ready?"

Xion nodded. "Yeah." The two spent the afternoon searching for shells. They began near the docks and made their way across the beach. Along the way, they laughed and talked. During their search, they had fun as they picked up shells they thought were pretty. About an hour had passed when they made it close to the bridge before they decided to call it quits. They went back toward the middle of the beach between the dock and the bridge and sat down near the ocean. Roxas placed his knees up near his chest and leaned his arms on his knees. "So? Did you find any you like?"

"I found a few." Xion held out her hand to show him the ones she really liked. She let out a giggle. "You know… I really started collecting these because I do like them."

Roxas shrugged a little. "I thought it would be something we can do together so we could hang out. After this, I was thinking we could grab some sea salt ice cream."

Xion nodded toward him and then stared out at the ocean. "This was fun. I'm going to keep these." Afterwards, she placed them in her bag.

Roxas looked over at the ocean too. "Good." Inside, he was happy. It was almost like old times when they used to spend time together. He stared at the ocean for a few more seconds before he looked over at Xion. Uneasy, his eyes traveled down her arm. Slowly, the smile faded from his face. On her arm, he could see little scars that she had gotten from what the organization did. Scars that hadn't gone away yet.

Xion looked over curious and wondered what he was looking at. She followed his eyes down. It was easy to tell afterwards. "Roxas…" He reached over and touched her arm. Her eyes lowered as a sad look appeared. "I don't want you to blame yourself anymore for what happened. Please..." He rubbed his thumb across one of her scars. Afterwards, she felt uneasy. "I didn't want to show anyone after I got them."

Roxas held out his arm that carried the long scar he had. "I didn't want to show this either, but I still get questions about it." Xion looked down. Roxas could see that she was getting sad again so he smiled to cheer her up. "Hey! Let's not think about the past. We came to have fun."

Xion smiled a little and nodded. "Yeah."

Afterwards, things became silence. Nervousness started to build in them both. Eventually, Roxas spoke first. "So? Is everything else okay?"

Xion nodded with her eyes closed. "Yeah."

Roxas looked toward the side. There was a question that had been weighing on his mind for a long time. Now that they were alone, he had to know where he stood. "I guess… I've been meaning to ask if… you and Riku were together?"

Xion looked a little surprised that he brought it up. She looked over to the side. "Well…" Lightly, she scratched the side of her cheek.

Roxas wondered what was going on. He thought it would've been a simple answer. "Xion?"

When she looked over, she could see him waiting for her to answer. The truth was she wasn't sure how to answer. "Well… When I got a second chance to start things over, I wanted everything in my life to change so I tried to move on after I was adopted by my new family. Then, Kairi introduced me to Riku in the hospital." She looked toward the sand as she placed her hair behind her ears. "Eventually, we started spending most of our time together. I saw it as an opportunity to help me forgot my past."

Roxas looked curious. "So? Does anybody besides me know about your past?"

Xion shook her head. "No. At least not everything. My parents only know some things. I've never told them what happened to me. Not even to Kairi or Riku."

He looked toward the side, serious. "So… I guess from you said, you two are together. He would get upset every time he seen us."

Xion looked concerned. "Roxas..." She wrapped her arms around her legs. "Besides finding out if I was okay, did you also try to see if I was with him?"

Roxas looked down as he thought about it. "Yeah. The truth is I did know. I just wanted to make sure that you were doing okay with him. So…? Are you happy with him?" If the answer was yes, a part of him would be disappointed. He was hoping that she could be happy with him. After he snapped out of his own thoughts, he noticed that she was silent. "Xion?"

Xion stared forward toward the ocean. "The truth is…I am." Roxas's breath shortened. He was afraid that would have been her answer. "To get over my past, he became one of my closest friends. I'll never forgot what he did for me." Her eyes traveled along the water. "And I think…I might know how he feels about me. That's what I'm afraid of."

Roxas became more confused. "You aren't using this as a way not to think about the past… are you?" Xion looked down unable to face him. He started to get worried. "Xion. Tell me. You shouldn't just make up your happiness just because you want to escape."

She closed her eyes as she felt bad. "I know. I thought that maybe I could like him just the same, if it would've been the two of us, but…"

Roxas anxiously waited for her answer. "But…?"

She turned her head to him. "But then you came along." He stared at her surprised. Xion smiled a little. "I started to remember you and everything we've been through. I remembered how I used to feel. Still… you're right. He helped me escape from my past, but with you I feel like I can deal with it."

Roxas scooted in closer. "Xion…."

She shook her head a little. "I know… but I don't know what to do…"

He smiled for comfort. "It'll be okay," he assured her.

Xion opened her eyes a little and smiled. "I know."

Nervous, she was afraid to ask a question of her own. It took her some time, but she decided to ask. "So…? Can I ask…?"

Roxas looked surprised and curious. "Ask what?"

She looked up at him as a little red came to her cheeks. "Why did you…kiss me?"

Roxas remained as calm as he could. "What?"

Xion tilted her head toward the side. "It was twice."

Roxas was at a loss for words. He blinked nervously as he looked around where they were. "Well… You said that it helped you remembered whenever you were close to me and it seemed like you remembered more when I kissed you so that's why I did it the second time…sort of."

Xion looked curious. "You didn't know that would work the first time or again so why?"

"I um…?" He started to get worried about what she would say if he answered.

Xion smiled and placed her hand on his. "I can make it easier. Is it because you have deep hidden feelings for me?" she asked, partially joking.

"Um…?" Roxas sighed with his eyes closed. It was too late to turn back now. "My brother asked me the same thing, but I wasn't sure... I didn't think about it. So now that I have, I think that…" He scratched his head nervously. "…I do like you. You're my best friend and… you mean something to me."

Afterwards, he looked over to her what she wanted to say next. All he saw was her smile. Then she thought back. "Since I started trying to remember you, I wondered the same thing. Why am I trying to remember you? You showed me so much kindness since we first met and you were my friend..."

"What else am I supposed to show you?" he joked.

She smiled more. "Also, since then… I wondered if maybe… I had feelings for you too and when you kissed me…, I wondered why I kissed you back. So maybe there is… something there."

Hope had built in him. "I feel like that there's something there too."

Curiously, she looked over. "Should we…try?"

Roxas stared into her eyes. He wasn't going to let this pass by. "Only if you want to."

Xion looked nervous before she looked back at him. "Yeah." Her answer made him happier. Not only could he protect her, but he could also find a way to make her happy. Then she looked down sad. "But…I don't want to hurt Riku. He's a nice guy and he's done so much for me. Only leading him on would just hurt him more."

Roxas grabbed her hand. "Do whatever you think is right."

Xion smiled at him. She was glad that he was there. As things were silent between them, he leaned in and kissed her. Instantly, she closed her eyes. It felt right being with him and happy. She knew no matter what, he would never hurt her. Though Roxas was a part of her past, he was the only one in her past that she was glad to have back. He was someone that she truly cared about. He placed his hand against the side of her hair. as she put her hand against his shoulder. Afterwards, they separated. He smiled at her, happier than she knew. Xion closed her eyes as she grinned. "You got sand in my hair."

Roxas grinned back. "I think it was worth it." He stared at her for a few more moments, enjoying the time he had spent with her alone. Then, he looked toward the sky. It wouldn't be long before the sun would be going down. He turned back to her. "You want me to take you home?"

She gave a little bit of a disappointed look despite her smile. "If you must…" she replied jokily. Roxas stood up and held out his hand. She took it and stood up. Not wanting to go right away, they walked around the island, talking a little, but mainly spending time in silence just happy. Afterwards, they got in their boats and headed for home.

Once they got on shore, they walked hand in hand. The plan was to head toward Xion's house first. Roxas looked over at her as he gently smiled. "I'm glad you had a good time today."

Xion grinned. "Yeah. I caught more than just seashells." They both laughed a little at her joke as they kept walking.

Ahead of them, a group of people walked toward their direction. Roxas and Xion kept smiling until Xion spotted the people ahead of them. She stopped, worried as she pressed her hand to her chest. Roxas noticed the change in her expression and became curious. "Xion? What's wrong?" Then, Roxas's eyes widened as noticed her eyes start to shake. He followed the direction she was looking. It was then he realized what had her on edge. He could see them. People from the organization. Quickly, he reacted and tried to pull her along as his hand wrapped around her tight, but she remained frozen. "Xion!" She could hear him, but she still didn't respond. All of the bad memories she had flooded back to her at once. He managed to pull her along a little. "Come on!"

Finally, she listened and ran off with him. She knew if she stayed on the island that there would be a chance of seeing them again. She was always afraid that it would happen. They tried to hide in between the pathways of the houses as they walked fast. Suddenly, someone had jumped in front of them, which had made them stop. "You two weren't going to stop without saying hi were you?" When Roxas and Xion looked up, they saw Demyx grinning in front of them.

Luxord, Vexen, and Marluxia stepped in behind them. Roxas looked around at each of them as they were surrounded. Risking it, he grabbed tighter onto Xion's hand and ran past. "You really think running away will help you escape us?"

Roxas stopped as he heard the familiar voice behind him. In front of them was Larxene who stopped them from leaving. Roxas turned around as he placed Xion behind him. Xion leaned against his back with her eyes closed tight. She couldn't handle being there much longer. Roxas looked angry. "Just leave us alone!"

Larxene tilted her head over as he tried to see Xion. "Awe! She's still afraid of us... That wouldn't have been the case if you would've just stayed."

Xion clutched onto the back of Roxas's shirt tighter. She was shaking behind him. Roxas growled a little. "We're not interested so just let us go!"

Some of the members laughed at his request. Roxas looked around upset. Then, another person joined them. "Just let them go." When Roxas and Xion looked over, they saw Saix with a frown on his face. The rest of the organization frowned as well. Roxas didn't trust his word, but he wasn't going to make them stick around for much longer to find out. He took Xion's hand and ran off. The organization remained still. Larxene stepped over to Saix angry. "Why did you let them go?!"

Saix walked away. "We have other things to do beside play your little games." Larxene growled. The rest of the organization followed behind. As Larxene stood, she thought of another way she could mess with Roxas and Xion...

* * *

Roxas and Xion walked to Xion's house. Both of them had their heads down, tired. Neither one of them knew what they should've done when they were confronted by the organization, but they were just glad nothing happened. Roxas was relieved for that. He looked over at Xion. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah," she whispered. "I'm sorry I froze up like that." Xion shook her head. "I'm not sure why."

He smiled a little to comfort her. "It's okay. I understand why you did."

They turned toward each other. She forced a smile despite how afraid she was today. "Thank you. For everything today."

Roxas leaned over and pressed his lips against her forehead. The move surprised her. "I'm sorry. I know I'm supposed to wait until we can be together." He smiled toward her. "We'll be more careful not to run into them next time." Afterwards, he turned and started walking away.

Xion watched him until she called him back. She smiled and placed a shell in his hand. "This is to remember the beach today. It was great." He smiled. Afterwards, he waved and headed for home. She smiled and headed inside.

* * *

 _Thanks for reading! I'll be back to update soon! Remember if you want to read all three stories, make sure you read "Life"!_


	6. Let Yourself Go

_**Author's Notes:** __Thanks for keeping up with the story!_

 ** _Warning + Sort of spoiler alert for this chapter:_** _Things get graphic in this chapter so for anyone who doesn't want to read anything sexual, I've section it off like this: At the beginning I will put "xxx" and at the end you're see a line across the page. I know not everyone wants to read the graphic parts so I've made it a little easier to skip._

 _Hope you'll like the next chapter!_

* * *

 _The Runaways (Roxas, Xion, Riku, and the Organization side of the story)_

 _Chapter 5: Let Yourself Go:_

The hallways were crowded with people before classes started in the morning. Xion made her way through the crowds as she searched for the one person she wanted to talk to. Finally, she spotted him standing nearby their classroom door, waiting for her as he usually did. She stood in front of him as she breathed hard. This was one thing she had to get over with. "Hey Xion. What's the rush?"

She stood up straight in front him. Instantly, a sad look came to her face. She wished that she didn't have to do this, but she knew it was the right thing to do. "Riku…"

Riku noticed her concerned look. "What's wrong?"

She looked toward the side as she bit the bottom of her lip lightly. "Well…There's something I have to tell you. I wanted to say that I'm sorry."

He looked curious as to what she was talking about. "Sorry for what?"

She couldn't look at him right away. "Well…It's about…I don't think-." Suddenly, the sound of the bell echoed through the hallways. Xion's eyes widened as she realized that she had run out of time. She turned to him before he could walk inside the classroom. "Can we talk later?"

"Sure," Riku replied. As he walked inside, he wondered what Xion wanted to tell him. From her expression and tone of voice, it sounded serious. Xion looked down. She wanted to set things straight as soon as possible before things got any more complicated. Then, she would be free to be with Roxas.

As the day passed, she couldn't get in enough time to talk to Riku. After school, she had to work inside of the library so she didn't a chance to speak to him then either. After a few hours of working, she stepped out of the doors to go home. When she looked up, she saw a familiar face that made her smile. Roxas leaned against the wall with his arms crossed as he waited for her. He smiled too once he saw her. She walked over to him. "Hey."

By surprise, he placed a kiss on her lips. "Hi."

She felt happy, but sad at the same time. Disappointed, her eyes traveled down. "I didn't get a chance to today. I really tried..."

Roxas looked a little surprised. "To talk to Riku?"

She nodded. "I'm sorry. It's been hard to catch him. I wanted to tell him face to face, but I might have to some other way now."

Roxas smiled to assure her that things would be all right. "Don't worry about it. You will eventually." Xion nodded in agreement. Roxas grabbed her hand and the two walked together. So far, things had worked out between them.

Later that night, Xion sat at her desk with a piece of paper in front of her. She wrote a letter to Riku that she had intended to give to him tomorrow. As she looked down, the feeling of guilty weighed heavily on her for not ending it earlier, but soon she would. She knew how he felt for her and was afraid of hurting his feelings, but she knew it was for the best. She sealed the letter in an envelope and left it on her desk. Afterwards, she climbed into her bed and fell asleep.

The next day, Xion walked into the hallway toward her classroom where Riku waited there for her as usual. Already, she was running late to school that morning. The sound of the bell soon rung throughout the hallway. She gave him a nervous, but sad look. She held the letter out in her hand and he took it. "What's this?"

"Sorry. I meant to get here sooner. I want you to read this." Her eyes lowered. "It's what I wanted to tell you for a while now."

Riku wanted to ask, but then Kairi stepped out of the room and smiled. "Come on you guys. You don't want to stay afterschool, do you?" Riku gave Xion one last glance before he walked inside. Xion looked toward the floor before she walked inside. Riku placed the letter in his book and left it in his desk.

On the next floor, above where Xion and the others were, Larxene leaned back in her chair with her legs on her desk in class. She had her hands behind her head. Axel sat beside her with his head on his hand. Most of the people in the organization sat around them. They watched as the teacher in the class tried to get everyone to quiet down so that he could get started, but every day it had become a hassle. They didn't plan on making it easier any on him. Larxene glanced at Axel out of the corner of her eye as she smirked. "Hey! You wanna come down with me later?"

Axel sighed as he wished she would keep him out her schemes. "Just leave her alone Larxene."

She gave him a sarcastic, sad look. "Awe! Don't tell me you still have a soft spot for the two of them?" Axel shook his head and went back to ignoring her. She looked upset. "Oh come on! You're apart of us. You didn't even help us with that brat and you weren't even there for when we got Roxas. At least come to do this with me." He still didn't answer her. She smirked seductively and placed her hand on his leg. His eyebrow arched which caught her attention. "I'll make it up to you later..." He sighed with his eyes closed as he started to wonder why he got involved with her in the first place. She grinned. "I'll take that as a yes." Axel opened his eyes and stared toward his desk. He didn't want to mess with Xion again. He knew that she had already been through enough. Still, at least he would get to see Roxas again, despite how angry he knew Roxas still was at him. He wanted more than anything to see his friends again…

Later afterschool, Xion walked inside of the hallway. Her eyes were lowered halfway toward the floor as she felt sad. Her hand held onto her bag over her shoulders. She was worried what would happen with Riku, but she knew one thing that would make her smile. She stopped and reached into her bag. She pulled out the shiny blue orb that was given to her. Afterwards, she let out a smile. It made her think of Roxas because he had given it to her. Also, because she was happy with him. It made her believe that everything would be okay. She stuffed it back inside her bag and continued walking, feeling a little better. She headed toward the library when, suddenly, someone bumped into her and knocked her bag off of her shoulder. She looked surprised and snapped out of her thoughts. "I'm sorry." She bent down and tried to pick up her bag, but a foot stepped on it. When she looked up, her eyes widened in surprised. Xion stepped back once she saw who it was.

Larxene smirked at her. Her hands were placed at her sides. Axel stood behind her, nearby. "Hello to you too. It's been a while since we last saw you." She poked Xion in the shoulder. "I see Roxas isn't here to help you this time."

Xion was afraid, but she decided that she would stand her ground. Her fingers tightened into a fist. "Leave me alone Larxene!"

Larxene was surprised that Xion actually spoke back to her after all this time. She could see Xion try to look tough, but in her eyes, she could see her fear. Larxene stood up straight and laughed. "Awe! You're trying to stand up for yourself instead of running away like you usually do." Larxene picked up Xion's bag from off of the ground.

Xion's eyes widened, afraid of what she was going to do with it. "What are you doing?! Give that back!"

Larxene turned the bag over and dumped her stuff onto the floor. Xion's mouth dropped, stunned. Even Axel was surprised at what she did. Larxene looked down confused and noticed the shiny blue stone. "Huh?" She bent down and picked up Xion's orb. "What's this thing?" Xion looked worried. She reached over toward Larxene and tried to get it back, but Larxene held it up in the air. She gave Xion a confused stare as to why she wanted it so badly. She figured it must've been something she couldn't part with. Larxene came up with an idea better than just messing with Xion for now. She clutched the orb in her hand. "You want it?" She pushed Xion away which caused some of the people walking by to stop and stare. Larxene smirked at Xion, but then noticed other people staring at her. She looked around and got upset. "What are you guys looking at?!" she yelled. She scared the crowd and made them walk away.

Xion looked around, but then back at Larxene. "Larxene! Give that back now!"

Larxene opened her hand and looked at it. "What? This piece of crap?" She tightened her hand and smirked down at Xion. "You want it so bad? How about you take it from me?"

Xion stood up, but she would never fight Larxene especially with hidden knives on her. Larxene tossed it up in the air and caught it with her eyes closed. Axel stepped closer. "Larxene just give it back."

Larxene opened her eyes. "Fine. You don't want to fight me for it, then I'll just keep it." Xion was worried as to what she would do with it. "I'll give it back if you come to our gang's hideout and get it from me." Xion's eyes widened which had only made Larxene smile more. "I'll leave it there for now to see if you come get it or I'll give it to you right now if you join the organization again." She laughed which Xion looked down. Larxene tossed it up from her hand one more time before she grabbed it and walked off.

"Larxene!" Axel let out sigh. The woman frustrated him to no end. Uneasy, he looked at Xion. He could see the look of worry on her face. "Don't worry. I'll try to get it back from her." Before he left, he glanced a few times back at Xion. There was a lot he wanted to say, but he kept it inside. Mainly, he wanted to apologize for what happened. He looked toward the side determined. If he could get the necklace back, it would be a start to making amends to both Xion and to Roxas. He followed behind Larxene.

Xion stared toward the floor worried. Then, she leaned down and picked her stuff up. Her sad feeling returned. She didn't know what she was going to do now. She wanted to get the orb back, but she didn't know if she wanted to risk going back to the hideout. She grabbed her bag once she packed it. She was about to head into the library when a familiar voice called out to her. "Xion!" She looked up to see Roxas stand nearby. He noticed the sad look on her face which made him surprised. "Xion? What's wrong?" She rushed toward him and wrapped her arms tightly around him. She closed her eyes. Her head rubbed against his chest. "I'm sorry."

He looked down at her confused as to why she was crying. "What happened?"

She calmed down a little. "It's my fault. I couldn't get it back." He held her back which she looked up at him. His hands rubbed her cheeks, clearing them. Then, she closed her eyes. "It was Larxene. She came back and…"

Upset, Roxas's head turned toward the side as he let go of Xion. He knew if Xion had seen Larxene, that she was up to no good. "What did she want this time?"

"She took my orb. The one you gave me after the struggle tournament. She took it and she wanted me to fight her for it, but I refused. Then, she told me to meet her in the organization's hideout and get it there," Xion explained.

Roxas shook his head. "No! It's not worth it! Forget about it! You can't go back there especially with her there. She's probably going to call everyone there so that they could plan something."

She looked up at him. "But what you gave to me was special." She took a minute to think about what she wanted to do. Soon, she looked serious. "I want to try."

His eyes widened. "No! That's crazy."

Her fist baled at her side. "If I don't try, then Larxene will try anything just to get to me. I can't let her make me fall back into that life."

Roxas wished that she wouldn't, but he understood why. He calmed down and wrapped his arms tight around her in a hug. His head tilted toward her neck. "All right. We'll find a way to sneak in there and get back without confronting anyone. I won't let you get hurt again." Xion was worried, but she felt a little better since Roxas would be there with her. The two separated and looked at each other. Roxas grabbed onto her hand. "We won't go today. We'll wait until they least expect it."

* * *

A few days passed before they decided to travel to the organization's hideout. Afterschool, they walked together as they hoped that today would be the time that no one would be there. They walked hand in hand down the dirt road on the other side of town, nervous about what would happen and in silence. When they got close by, they hid behind barrels near the hideout to make sure that no one was there. To their luck, it seemed like no one was. The two were about to stand up when they heard voices nearby. Quickly, they kneeled back down. "Larxene this is ridiculous! Just give it back!" When Roxas and Xion looked, they saw Axel follow behind Larxene.

Larxene frowned toward him as she crossed her arms. "Who's cares about that stupid thing?! I'll give it back when I'm good and ready."

"Then why did you tell Xion she could get back if she joined the organization again?! That would kill her." Roxas looked surprised once he heard what Axel said. When he glanced over, he noticed Xion stare down uneasy.

Larxene turned toward him with a dull glare. "You know. Your soft spot for those two are really annoying… They haven't even shown up to get it back yet."

"I couldn't agree more." When Larxene and Axel looked over, they saw Saix walk in with Marluxia behind him.

Marluxia fluffed his hair aside. "Are you two still arguing over that silly thing Larxene is holding?"

Saix shook his head slightly. "It's pointless. We have bigger problems to deal with. We're wanted for another job." Axel sighed. Saix looked over at Larxene. "If you behave, you can come along too." Nearby, Roxas and Xion hoped that she would leave along with the rest.

Larxene smirked. "Then let's go."

Marluxia sighed. "Let's get this over with."

Larxene frowned at him as everyone headed out. "What do you have better to do?" Larxene stopped for a second as the others walked ahead. She pulled up a wooden board in one of the chairs. She held up Xion's blue orb. "Well…still here. I'm surprised they haven't come back to get it yet." Roxas and Xion waited until the room was quiet and they were sure everyone was gone.

Then, they stood up and walked further into the organization's hideout. It was the same as they remembered it. There was a torn couch with two matching chairs on the sides. It was covered by blankets and a roof was built over. Slowly, Xion's hand slipped out of Roxas's. The two stared forward as they remembered the times they had been there. Most of them were bad. Then, Xion walked over toward the chair and pulled up the same wooden board Larxene did. Roxas looked over at her and then looked behind. "I'll look out. Make sure no one's coming."

Xion looked back and nodded. "Okay." As Xion grabbed the orb, Roxas looked around, thinking about the times Xion and him had been there. Emotions had hit him at once.

Anger.

Sadness.

Regret.

The need for revenge...

Xion placed the wooden board back where it was. "Got it." When she looked back, she noticed Roxas staring out of the door. She could see now what he was thinking about. She stood, worried as she thought back.

Roxas snapped out of his thoughts and looked over at her. Her arms wrapped around her body as she started to shake. Roxas grabbed onto her arm which she looked over. He gave her a serious look. "Don't think about that." She relaxed a little. He turned toward her. "We got it back. Let's not stick around here anymore."

She was surprised by the serious tone of his voice. Then, she looked over at the couch again where she had laid at night when she didn't have a home to go to. "It's been a while…" she whispered.

He looked over toward the couch. He walked over toward it. "You remembered when we use to sleep over here?"

Xion smiled a little and joined him. It wasn't so bad sitting on it again. "Yeah. You stayed here to help keep me warm."

He looked toward the floor as he thought back. "I tried to stay as often I could because I didn't like you staying here by yourself. Still, you were always okay when I came back in the morning." He grabbed her hand. "Well never again."

She smiled. "Never again will you have to worry about me being here by myself."

He leaned in closer toward her face. "I'm still going to worry about you."

She gave him an assured gaze. "Well don't because I'm okay now and I know you'll make sure that I'll be okay."

Roxas smiled a little. Apart of him still wanted the organization to pay for what they did to her. For now, he would focus on her. A smirk came on his face. "Hey."

Before she could say anything, she felt his lips pressed into hers. At first, she was surprised. Suddenly, Xion felt herself slowly moving backwards. Her back pressed against the couch. Surprised, she pushed him back a little. "What are you doing?"

Roxas smiled. "We can make new memories here. That way you don't have to think about the bad ones. We'll show them that they can't scare us."

Xion didn't understand what had gotten into Roxas all of a sudden. For a second, he seemed like a different person. He leaned and kissed her again. His lips soon moved to her neck. Xion closed her eyes tight. She wanted this to stop now and to get out of there as soon as possible. Her hand pressed hard against his chest. "Stop!" He stopped and looked into her eyes as he tried to read what she was thinking. Anxious to leave, she spoke, "Not here." Listening, he stood up from her and held out his hand. Xion looked at him and took his hand to stand up. All of a sudden, they heard a sound on top of the roof. They both looked up surprised. "It's raining…" Xion pointed out. "We'll be soaked by the time we reach home."

Roxas smiled at her. "Why don't we go to my house? It's closer." Xion looked at him curious. "It'll be like old times." After thinking about it, she nodded. Roxas intertwined his fingers with Xion. Together, they took off running outside.

Eventually, the two made it to Roxas's house. Roxas stepped inside first. Everything was dark and quiet. He looked back at Xion. "I don't think anyone has made it back home yet. We have the house to ourselves."

Silently, Xion giggled. "This really is like old times." She followed him toward his room.

She stopped inside as Roxas stayed in the hallway. "I'll grab some towels."

Xion nodded. "Okay." He left from sight. While she stood, she looked around at his room. It really did bring up some past memories. As she stepped out of her thoughts, she felt a shiver throughout her body. She wrapped her arms around her. The cold feeling from the rain had finally caught up with her.

Roxas stepped back inside with towels in hand. "Cold?" Reluctantly, Xion nodded. Roxas looked down at her uniform. "Your clothes are really soaked." He looked down at himself. "So are mine." He glanced toward the water that flooded the window. "It's still really coming down. You can stay here, if you want, until it calms down."

Xion shivered a little. "It's okay. If you have an umbrella, I can just return it to you tomorrow. I don't mind heading back now."

Roxas shook his head a little as he smiled. "I don't want you to get sick. Just stay here and get warm for a little. While you wait, I can dry your clothes. Then, I can walk you home."

Xion smiled to assure him. "You don't have to."

Roxas nudged her with his elbow. "Come on…"

She giggled. "Fine… You win." Roxas smiled. Her eyes traveled toward the side as she thought back. "Once again, you're always looking out for me." Her eyes lowered to a close. "I can never repay you for everything you've done for me."

Then, she felt Roxas's hand on her shoulder as there was a comforting smile on his face. "You don't owe me anything. You've helped me too. Don't forget that." Roxas could see that it wasn't easy to get her mind off of the bad memories. He placed his fingers under her chin and made her head turn to him. He leaned down and kissed her gently on her lips. It helped to take her mind off things for a second. The two began to relax as silence filled the room. His arms wrapped around her waist and her arms went around his neck. He could feel the cold sensation of her wet shirt against his skin. As the two continued to kiss, a different feeling came over him. Slightly, he parted from her. His fingers reached up to the first button of her shirt and began to unbutton one by one.

Curious, she looked up at him. "What are you doing?"

"What do you think? Helping of course," he replied jokily. His hands parted her shirt, revealing her white bra underneath. Roxas's eyes traveled down from her face to the rest of her body. Apart of him was a little nervous as well. His hands reached over toward her.

Nervousness spread throughout her body. She wasn't sure what ran though his mind at that moment. He leaned in and pressed his lips to her. Her eyes lowered to a close. Soon, he began to unzip her skirt. "Wait..." Roxas moved his hands from her. She stared down. "I can't. I'm sorry."

Roxas smiled a little and rubbed the back of his head as he looked nervous. He thought he must've seemed like a complete jerk to her for not asking. He just wanted to find a way that they both could forget about today. He just wanted to stop being angry at everything. "It's okay. I'm sorry. I shouldn't have gone ahead without asking. It's just that…" He looked toward the side. "I wanted to help you forget about going back there and I guess…I was being selfish."

She gave him a surprised look. Then, she placed her hand on his shoulder. When he looked up at her, there was a small smile on her face. "It's okay."

"Sorry," he apologized again. Afterwards, he watched as Xion grinned. He loved the way she looked when she was happy. He turned away from her. "I'll grab a shirt for you to wear while you change."

Xion nodded a little nervous and turned her back to him. She removed her shirt from her shoulders and then her skirt, bra, and last, underwear. As she changed, he was tempted to look, but kept forward as he waited. Xion slipped underneath the covers of his bed. "Okay…"

Roxas turned toward her. He could see the nervous smile on her face. He smiled to assure her. "I'll be back." He grabbed her clothes and left out of the room. While things were quiet, she looked around at his room once more. It really did bring up good memories of the nights she would spend there.

A few minutes later, Roxas stepped back inside. He noticed the gentle smile on her face as she stared upwards. In the doorway, she noticed that he stood in just his shorts as he had a shirt over his arm for her. "What are you thinking about?" Once he sat down, he shook his head near her, getting some of the water out of his hair.

Xion laughed a little as she held her hand up toward her face. Then, she glanced toward the bed. "I was just remembering the nights you would sneak me into your room just so I would have a place to sleep at night." Her hand brushed against the covers. "We would spend the night talking and eating junk food or whatever was left over." Roxas sat down in front of her curious. "Even though we were still part of the organization, those were still the best memories."

Roxas reached over and gently placed his hands on top of hers. "I'm glad…" he whispered.

Xion looked curious. "What is it?

Roxas shook his head. "It's nothing…"

She leaned forward with her arms in front of her as she looked anxious to know. "Tell me."

Roxas smiled at her a little. "I liked the times you were here too. When it was just us…" His eyes traveled down. "Then, when you forgot about me, I thought we wouldn't get those times back."

Xion looked down, disappointed. She moved in closer toward him and leaned her head against his shoulder. "I'm sorry… I know that must've hurt..."

Roxas leaned his head on top of hers. "It's okay. You're back now. That's what matters."

Shortly after, silence filled the room. They listened to the rain pouring heavily against the roof. Xion's eyes lowered to a close. The warmth of his skin and the smoothing scent calmed her. "I did always feel safe here."

A few seconds later, she could feel him shift from underneath her. He moved across from her. "Good." His smile made her smile as well. Then he looked down at her a little surprised. A little red came to his cheeks.

She noticed his reaction. "What is it?"

Roxas looked away as he blinked a few times. "Sorry… I didn't mean to look..."

Xion looked surprised, but then looked down at herself. She realized the blankets that she wrapped around her had slipped from around her chest. Quickly, she covered herself as she blushed. Roxas grinned as he closed his eyes. "What's so funny?"

"This isn't the first time I've seen you like this." He scratched the back of his head. "I've seen you before…"

Xion looked down as she thought. "Right…" Then, she pouted upset. "You're the one who walked in on me!"

Roxas laughed. "It was an accident! I promise!"

Xion laughed along with him. As she did, he smiled. It was good to hear her laugh again. His hand squeezed tighter onto hers. He liked this moment they were together. The sound of the rain was calming as things turned silent. Then, his eyes lifted to her face. He thought it wouldn't hurt just to taste her lips once more. He leaned over and captured her lips with his. Instantly, Xion was caught by surprise, but then she closed her eyes. His hand rubbed against the side of her neck. Afterwards, his head moved into the crook her neck. Gently, he began to kiss and pull on her skin. Her eyes lowered to a close as a new sensation flowed through her body. A sigh left from her lips. Soon, he parted from her as he opened his eyes to hers. "Roxas…?" she whispered. Something about the moment seemed right. More, his eyes stared at her with a want and need. The back of his index finger traced down from her collarbone further down her chest. "What are you…?"

The tips of his fingers latched onto the edge of the blanket and pulled it further down. Xion wondered how far he was thinking about going again. Her eyes traveled between his hand back to his eyes. "I don't want to lose this again." He leaned in and pressed his lips to hers. Lightly, his tongue brushed against her bottom lip. The tip of his finger skimmed down her breast until he grazed the center. A shudder ran across her body as she closed her eyes. The sensation felt strange, but different. After the two parted, he gauged her reaction. Slowly, he removed the blanket from her body and joined her underneath. Before he could continue, her arms rose up and covered her chest. Instantly, he stopped, worried that he gone too far again. "Sorry. I shouldn't have..."

Her eyes traveled down, nervous. "No. It's nothing," she whispered. Her fingers that reached over to cover the scars on her arms as much as she could.

Watching her arms and her expression, he smiled. He was nervous himself to see her like this. "You know… You shouldn't try to hide your scars. They're barely even noticeable. Most of them have faded." He lifted his eyes to her. "No matter how much you hide yourself or the scars… you…" He scooted closer to her and pushed one of her fingers to the side. "You'll always be you and there's no reason to hide that. I think you look fine just the way you are." Gently, he pressed his lips against her scar. She was surprised, but touched by how much he cared for her.

Relaxed, her arms loosened from her chest. He continued to place kisses on her arm. Afterwards, he lifted her head and leaned forward. Xion leaned back and met him back in a deep kiss. Her arms rested on his shoulders and soon rubbed her hands down to his chest. He began to suck seductively on her bottom lip. His tongue slipped into her mouth. Gently, her tongue followed and playfully rubbed against his. The two turned on their side as their heated exchange continued. Red flooded her cheeks as she got lost more with him. Minutes later, they parted from each other as they breathed heavily. His fingers brushed against her arm and further along her hips. Nervous, she looked up at him which he noticed. As he grazed her leg, he searched her eyes for approval to go further. She debated that if they gone far enough, would she with him? Then, she thought about them and everything that Roxas had done for her. She cared about him more than he knew. She turned her head toward the window as she watched the rain fall. "It's really coming down."

"You can stay longer…if you want." Her eyes met his. "It will be just the two of us for a while." He pulled her closer to him. "Just say the word. We don't have to go far." After a few moments, he leaned in toward her neck and kissed her skin.

XXX

Soon, Xion sighed with her eyes closed. "Hm." Her lips parted. Her body started to enjoy what his lips were doing, taking her out of thoughts. His hand rubbed against the side of her stomach up to her chest. His hands squeezed her soft breasts. There was a blush throughout her cheeks. His fingers moved toward the sensitive tips which made her moan out in pleasure. He moved over her as her back pressed against the bed. His lips moved over her body and placed tender kisses upon her chest and on top of her breasts. His tongue relieved one of his hands. "A-Ah…" The sensation brought pleasure to her whole body. His head rose and connected with her lips again, kissing her intensely. He grabbed her hands and moved them on the pillows near her head. He caressed them with his thumb before his fingers slipped down between her legs. His finger began stroking her untouched, sensitive flesh. Her body jumped as she felt the overwhelming pleasure, like a shockwave, throughout her body. He could hear her moans mumbled through their lips. Furiously, she kissed him. Their tongues danced along each other. More, her body started to lose control. His lips moved toward the side of neck. He wanted to hear the sweet sound of her voice. Her lips parted wide as she cried out. Her arms wrapped around his back. The nails of her fingers dug deep into his skin. He could feel her legs tightening at his waist. Within minutes, he could his fingers getting moist. Juices overflowed from between her legs.

Before she could release, he removed his hand from her. She opened her eyes to his as she panted. Her mind was clouded as she could only focus on her insides throbbing. More than anything, her body wanted him to continue. Anxious, he reached down and removed his shorts and boxers. Her body laid exposed as he sat back from her. His eyes traveled along her delicate curves, exploring every inch he could of her body. He wanted to have her completely. He needed to have her. He leaned over her and whispered her name into her ear. Her eyes stared up into his. She could see his look of want. Finally, she answered his question with a nod. She sat up slightly and pressed her lips to his neck down toward his chest. She reached down toward his hips. Her hand wrapped around his member and stroked him. As he closed his eyes, he breathed out. He placed his hand on top of her and moved closer toward her entrance.

For a moment, things were quiet. Near her right, she could hear the sound of the rain against the window. To her left, outside of the room, she could the sounds of their clothes rolling loud in the dryer. It distracted her through the pain. Her eyes watered as she closed them tight. It took some getting used to as he thrusted himself inside of her. She grabbed onto his arms for support. Slowly, her became mixed with pleasure. A moan escaped from her lips. His mind faded into the background. He could only listen to her moans and cries from what he had made her feel. Her hands grabbed onto the back of his pillow, digging deeply into the fabric. "Ro…Roxas." she called out. His hands lifted her hips as he moved faster. He pressed inside of her harder. Her body began to shake as she was about to reach her end. Her insides tightened around him. She moaned louder as her eyes closed tight.

"Xion…" he whispered. He could feel his body on the edge of release. Soon, her body slowed to a stop as she released onto him. He followed after a few more thrusts. The two breathed hard. He let go of her hips and moved alongside her. After her body relaxed, she looked over to see Roxas lying on his side, staring back at her. He calmed down somewhat. "Xion..." She scooted over and turned on her side to face him. His arms wrapped around her. Both of them had closed their eyes. Eventually, they fell asleep.

* * *

Later, Xion woke up to see Roxas still sleeping beside her. She sat up as she pressed the covers closed to her body. She stared over at him, a little worried. What they experience happened so quick. She wondered if they had gone too far too soon. Whether it was too soon for them or not, what they done was already done. She turned her head toward the window. The day had already turned dark and the rain had stopped. Then, she looked over to see what time it was. By now, she knew that she should go home. She was about to climb out of bed when she felt a hand grab her arm. She looked over surprised. Roxas had a tired look in his eyes that were partly open. "Don't go," he whispered. "Stay tonight. Please?"

Xion looked down as she debated whether or not she should. She stared into his eyes until she had given into him. She laid back on her side and scooted closer to him. She decided to stay the night with him. Maybe no one would notice that she hadn't come home that night. She closed her eyes again and fell asleep in his arms.

As the night continued, Xion's nightmare returned of the night when she ended up in the hospital. She could still feel the way her body felt when she laid against the ground for dead. Outside of her dream, she cried out loud. Her body twisted and turned in her sleep as an arm wrapped around her body for comfort. She continued to cry out. "Xion!" Roxas held onto her tightly. She turned her body toward him, finally accepting the embrace of his arms. She cried for a few more minutes before she calmed down. Then, she grew silent. For a while, she reacted the same way to her nightmares. She was glad that Roxas was there for her. He had been able to calm her down faster than her adopted mother could. Afterwards, she drifted off to sleep as her head leaned on his chest. Roxas held onto her for a few minutes longer. His head leaned on top of hers. He couldn't stand that she was still having the same nightmares. Afterwards, he laid down with her and hoped that the same thing wouldn't happen again. For the rest of the night, Xion had been able to sleep peaceful.

* * *

 _Thanks for reading! I'll be back to update!_


	7. Life Has To Go On

_**Author's Notes:** Thank you for keeping up with the story! **Warning:** This chapter does have adult themes and gets a little dark... _

* * *

_The Runaways (Roxas, Xion, Riku, and the Organization side of the story)_

 _Chapter 6: Life Has To Go On:_

As morning light glowed through the windows, slowly, Xion's body rose up from her bed. Her eyes lowered to a close as she placed her hand to her head. Even with sleep, she still exhausted. What surprised her most was that she felt dizzy. Still, she pushed herself to get up from her bed. As she headed to her bathroom, her body felt heavy. Inside, she leaned against the counter with her eyes closed. Already, she felt sick to her stomach. She placed one hand near her mouth and leaned over the sink just in case, but nothing came. Once she felt a little relaxed, she opened her eyes partly. The past few days, she had been getting worse. For now, she would have to ignore it since she had to go to school. Once she got ready, she headed downstairs. In the kitchen, Kairi sat at the table as she ate breakfast. Kairi smiled at her. "Morning Xion. You wanna eat with me?" Xion stepped over near where the food was. She took one glance at it before she quickly stepped away. A surprised look came on Kairi's face. "What's wrong?"

Xion shook her head and headed toward the door. She wasn't feeling hungry much. The smell started to get to her nose and make her queasy. Nervously, she smiled. "It's okay. I'm going to head to school." She waved before she walked off. Kairi stood up out of her chair. She wanted to check on her, but she was too late. She sat back down with her eyes lowered. She began to get more worried about the way Xion was acting…

At school, Xion sat at her desk as her eyes stared toward the floor. Her stomach changed from nauseous back to hungry. She closed her eyes as she sighed. Her head leaned on her hand. She was still feeling kind of dizzy. She had no idea what was wrong with her. Kairi walked over to her and smiled. "Hey Xion." Xion looked up at her surprised. "I was wondering if you would be my lab partner for today?"

Xion wasn't sure what was going on since she stopped listening in class. She smiled toward Kairi. "Sure." The two sat together as they got ready to work on their assignment. Xion grabbed onto her stomach as she started to feel nauseous again.

Kairi noticed and got concerned. "Xion?" Her eyes lowered and saw her hand on her stomach. "Are you okay?"

Xion tried her best to smile at Kairi. "Yeah."

Kairi thought about calling the teacher over, but waited to see if Xion would get any better. Instead, Xion started to feel dizzy again. Her eyes lowered as she felt as if she was about to pass out. "Xion?!" Kairi called again. She placed her hands on her shoulders. Her concern escalated. Xion pressed harder onto her stomach as her other hand covered her mouth. The smells around her were making her stomach worse. Quickly, Kairi raised her hand to get the teacher's attention. "Excuse me!" The teacher walked over. "Please! I think that she's really sick. Is it okay if I help her?"

The teacher took a look at Xion. It didn't seem like she was faking nor did she believe that they were up to something. Finally, the teacher nodded. Kairi and Xion left from the room and headed toward the bathroom. Xion rushed toward the sink. Kairi stood nearby as she heard the sounds echo from her. Kairi walked over worried and held her hair back from her face. Xion started coughing. Her sight started to blur a little and her body was exhausted. Her breathing stayed heavy for a few minutes. She leaned against the counter for support. Kairi placed her hands on her shoulders. "Are you okay now?"

"Yeah," Xion whispered. She felt a little better, but not completely.

"Do you think you're coming down with something?" Kairi asked, curiously.

Xion shook her head as she stood up straight. She turned to Kairi and smiled. "Don't worry…I'm okay now." Suddenly, the strength from her body had given out.

Kairi caught her just in time before she could hit the ground. Both of them sat on their knees on the floor. "Xion! Xion!" Xion let out a groan. Neither of them understood what was going on. Kairi looked back toward the door. She helped Xion to her feet and placed her arm around her shoulders. "Come on. We're going to see the nurse." Later, Xion woke up in the nurse's office, still exhausted. When she looked over, she saw Kairi hover above her with a concerned look on her face. "Xion." Kairi smiled a little for comfort. "You almost scared me back there."

Xion sat up and looked down. "I'm sorry…"

The nurse walked in after. "Good. You're awake. I told Kairi that it was okay for you to go home. I checked to see if you were getting sick, but your temperature seems fine. How long have you been sick like this?"

"A few days now," Xion answered.

The nurse looked a little concerned. "If this continues, you should go see a doctor. It could be serious."

Xion nodded. "I will." The nurse smiled and left Kairi and Xion alone.

Concerned, Kairi turned her attention back to Xion. "I thought you seemed sick lately. How come you didn't tell anyone that you were feeling this bad?"

Xion still didn't understand what was going on. Even the nurse didn't have an answer. "I thought it would go away."

Kairi smiled, hopeful. "Well... I just hope that you get better." Xion responded with a smile as well.

The next day, Xion was brought to the hospital by her adoptive mother. Her stomach still hadn't gotten better since yesterday. Xion stepped out of the car and looked back at her mother. Her mother smiled, apologetic. "Sorry that I can't go with you this time."

Xion smiled to assure her. "It's okay. I'll be fine on my own."

"Don't worry. I'll be back to pick you up." Xion nodded. She closed the car door and headed toward the hospital as her mother drove away. Afterwards, Xion walked inside.

Minutes later, she was sent back and met with a woman with a chart in her hand. Gently, she smiled at Xion and greeted her before she asked if she had any idea of why she was sick. Xion shook her head and replied with no. The doctor started by asking her a few basic questions after she checked to see if she had a fever. Once she got to more personal questions, Xion became nervous, but answered them all honestly. In the end, the doctor gave her a serious look. Her suspicions rose. She tested Xion and walked out of the room a few minutes later. Xion waited patiently in the examination room until the doctor came back again. There was a concerned look on her face. She sat down in front of Xion with a chart in her hand and looked over at her. "I have the results back from the test..." Xion became anxious since the doctor didn't sound happy. The doctor looked toward the ground before she lifted her head to Xion. She spent a few minutes talking to her. Once she told her the result, Xion was shocked. She couldn't believe it herself. Afterwards, the doctor stood up. "Do you need me to call your parents to pick you up?"

Xion looked up at the doctor with worry in her eyes. "N-No. I'll just walk home. Doctor…?" Xion looked down, worried still at what she might say. "Do my parents have to know about this?"

The doctor sighed with her eyes closed. "We do have a patient doctor confidentiality agreement, but something like this, you can't hide for long. Still, remember what I said to you." Xion stared toward the floor, saddened. The doctor stared at her concerned, but then walked out of the room. Xion waited a little longer before she stood up and walked out of the room.

After Xion left the hospital, she walked along the road alone as she looked down. She placed her hand on her stomach. She still couldn't believe it. Her mind traveled back to that night that had led things up to this day. Xion clutched onto her stomach as she closed her eyes tight. Minutes later, Xion returned back home and laid on her bed. Her hand pressed against her stomach once more. After she remembered the news the doctor told her, Xion closed her eyes tight. Tears fell from her eyes as she wondered why she got caught in this. How could she let anyone know? She didn't know how her adopted parents would react. She had just gotten them and now, if they found out, she might lose them again. After a few minutes, Xion calmed down and began to weigh her options. She turned over on her back as she stared up at the ceiling. Her hand rubbed against her stomach. She had to accept the fact that she was pregnant...

Xion wasn't sure what to think or how she could handle this. She was only fifteen years old and the father wasn't much older than her. Roxas was only a few months older and was soon enough about to turn sixteen. She thought back to that night when they were alone together in Roxas's room and about everything she felt that night when she was with him. There was no question on how it happened, but somehow it did. She felt as if she made the mistake of not stopping him when she told herself she should have. Then, she thought of Roxas and what he would think if he knew. Would he accept it, care for her, and take responsible, or would he leave her because of it? Since she was the one who had to deal with carrying it, it made it easier for him to say no if he wanted. Her mind switched over to what the doctor had told her. Before she could think about anything, she had to take some things into consideration. She was two months along and had time to think of what she could do with it.

Her first option was that she could get rid of it. She turned on her side. The thought of killing someone scared her. She thought about on her own past and how she had almost died. That was one thing she couldn't do.

Her second option was to put it up for adoption. She knew what it was like to be alone, but then adopted. It wasn't so bad. Still, if her new family found out, would she end up being alone again? Would they disown her? She knew the family she was adopted into was a proud one. With the baby gone, she would be alone again.

Then, there was here third option: to keep it. She turned on her other side. She didn't consider the option fully before. She had to think if she would be able to take care of it on her own. Would she be a good mother? Her eyes lowered. She knew if she kept the baby, she would never be alone again. Still, how would she help them to survive? She pressed onto her stomach as her knees slid closer toward her chest. The thought scared her of not being able to take care of her own child.

As she thought about her decision, her hand rubbed against her stomach. A few minutes passed when she stopped. She closed her eyes as she smiled. She didn't know exactly what she was going to do, but she knew one thing. She didn't want to part with her own child because she knew, out of anything, that she would love them and that they would love her back in return if no one else did. Xion drifted off asleep and remained that way through the rest of the night. The next morning, Xion stayed in bed and decided to miss school. Her parents allowed her to stay home since she was still feeling sick. As she laid awake in her bed, she kept her hand to her stomach. She would figure out what to do soon, but for now, she would enjoy the time she had with her unborn one.

* * *

Another month had passed. Xion walked the school hallway alone as she did every morning now. Since she found out the news about the baby, she distant herself. She believed that all she needed now with her was her child. The person she would talk to the most was Kairi. Kairi still had her concerns about her. Whenever she would ask, Xion would assure her that she was fine. Xion still chose to hide how she felt and her secret. Sometimes, Kairi would deliver notes to her that were sent by Roxas. Xion read his notes, but didn't respond back to them. She wasn't sure if she was ready to face him yet, especially when she kept her secret from him. During the mornings, Xion would smile, pretend as if nothing was wrong, and pretend as if she wasn't hiding anything or that she wasn't feeling sick sometimes. Over the past month, her stomach became better, but not completely. Sometimes, she had to excuse herself from class whenever she did feel sick.

In class, Xion sat in her chair and listened like the rest of the class. As she did, her stomach began to bother her, but this time for hunger. She was tempted to reach into her bag to pull out her lunch, but wanted to try and wait until lunch time started. After some time, she couldn't take it anymore. She reached down into her bag and started to sneak pieces of her food into her mouth, hoping that no one would notice. Kairi, who sat nearby, looked back to see Xion eating. Kairi's eyes widened in surprised. "Xion?" she whispered loudly. "What are you doing?" Xion looked surprised. Her eyes widened a little bit. Kairi leaned over off of her desk a little. "You're not going to have anything to eat later." Xion smiled nervously as she kept chewing. She reached into her bag again and pulled out another piece of food for her to eat. Kairi sighed with her eyes closed and turned her head back forward.

When the class was dismissed for lunch, Xion stepped outside into the hallway still hungry. She looked to one side of the hall as she tried to figure out what she should do. "Xion." Xion looked over surprised to see the familiar face that called her. Once she saw who it was, she stood stunned. He stood with his hands in his pockets with an uneasy stare. Xion held her hands in front of her, nervous. She wanted to look away, but kept her eyes on his. "Hey! I was wondering if your class is out all ready… that you would want to eat lunch with me?" he asked softly.

Xion smiled a little. She hadn't spoken with him for a while. "Sure…Roxas." The two walked down the hall in silence. The two exchanged glances back and forth at each other nervously since they haven't spoken in a while. As they walked away, Riku stepped outside of the classroom to talk with Xion, but he could see now that she had walked off with Roxas. Something still felt off about the two of them. He had no idea what was going on, but he would find out soon.

Outside, Roxas sat under a tree and pulled out his lunch. Xion sat down beside him. Both of them were covered by the shade. Her eyes couldn't help but be drawn to his food. Roxas looked over and noticed that she didn't bring anything with her. "Aren't you going to eat?"

Xion gave him a nervous look. "I kind of…ate it through class today." She laughed a little.

Roxas looked surprised. He held out his sandwich. "You want a piece of mine?"

Xion shook her head a little. "It's yours. I couldn't-."

Roxas smiled a little. "It's okay."

She took his sandwich and took a bit out of it. Then, a nervous look came on her face. "Um…?"

Roxas looked surprised. "What?" Xion's stomach started to turn for the first time today. She knew that something on it must've set off her stomach. She handed his sandwich back to him and rushed over to the nearest bushes. Roxas leaned over and looked back to see what was going on. He could hear the sounds of her throwing up. Instantly, he got concerned. He clutched his teeth as he wondered if he should help, but his body wouldn't move after hearing the sounds. Xion stayed a few seconds later to make sure that she was done. She wiped her mouth and turned around. She saw that Roxas was staring at her so she smiled to show that she was okay. She walked back over. Roxas gave her a surprised look. He wanted to make sure that she was all right. "Are you okay?"

Xion bent down in front of him, still smiling. "Yeah. Of course," she assured him. Afterwards, she sat down beside him.

Roxas stared at her as he wondered what was going on. "So…? Have you been getting the notes I've been sending through Kairi?"

Xion looked down at her fingers as they fiddled in her lap. She felt bad for avoiding him. "Yes. I'm sorry for not answering back."

Roxas became concerned. "I tried to call. Lately, you haven't spoken to me. I was wondering if… I did something wrong."

Xion didn't want him to blame himself for anything. "No. You didn't. I just…needed some time alone that's all."

"I've been thinking a lot. That's why I wanted to talk to you." He paused for a moment before he spoke. "I wanted to say that I'm-." Suddenly, they heard the bell echo from the inside of the school. It was already time for them to go inside. Roxas turned his head back to Xion. "Is it okay if we talk later after school?"

Xion nodded. "Okay." They got up and headed toward the school.

Later that afternoon, Xion headed to the library afterschool as usual. After a few hours inside, she walked out. When she did, she saw Roxas waiting for her in the hall. He smiled a little. "You ready?" Xion nodded in response. Together, they walked in the hall and headed toward the stairs. Suddenly, Roxas grabbed onto her arm and stopped her before they could walk down. He couldn't wait much longer to say what he had to. "I wanted to say that I'm sorry." Xion was curious as to what he was apologizing for. Roxas let go of her hand as his eyes lowered to the floor. "I know why you're mad at me." Xion gave him a surprised look. "It's because of that night, isn't it? The night where we…" He went over and over in his head the reason why she wouldn't speak to him. The only explanation that popped into his mind was that night. "I wondered if I rushed things. If you weren't ready. I know it's too late, but I wanted to ask you now if that night… if you were ready?" Xion's eyes lowered as she debated about what she should say. Her silence had given him the answer he needed. Inside, he felt at his lowest. "I see... So it was my fault." The last thing Xion wanted him to do was feel bad. Before she could say anything, Roxas continued, "After we left the hideout, I felt so angry, thinking about what the organization did, and I brought you back there where you remembered everything bad that happened. I just wanted to forget it all too so… I used you to do it. I don't know why I did it. I hope that you can forgive me."

Xion could see how guilty he felt. She was never mad at him for anything. She stepped in closer to him and placed her hands in front of her. She gave a smile of comfort. "You know. It wasn't just you." She thought back to that night. "You're right. I wasn't ready. I wanted to stop you, but I gave in, just the same as you did and I don't regret that. I see it like this. I rather be with you than anyone else so I figured it would've happened between us eventually, so don't feel bad." Xion shook her head. "I don't blame you for anything."

Roxas was relieved to hear that, but still didn't understand. "So? If you weren't mad at me for that, then why have you been staying away from me?"

Xion wondered if she should tell him the truth, but still wasn't sure if she should. She had no idea how he would react. "Well…" She placed her hand on her stomach, but then quickly moved it to her other arm so that he wouldn't get suspicious.

Roxas stepped closer. He noticed and looked at her stomach. "Kairi said you gain a little weight. Did you get to eat anymore today?"

Xion nodded. "Yeah." She figured that he must've noticed as well since she wore a bigger shirt.

Roxas grabbed onto her hand. "I want you to know that I sent all of those notes and I've been trying to see you because I still care about you a lot. I just want to make sure you're okay."

Xion stared up at him as she wondered. She still cared about him enough not to let him go completely and knew she would always think about him for one reason in particular. The child she carried was partly his so she would see him in them. She thought of just her and the baby together, but started to change her mind about letting him in. "Can I ask you a question?"

Roxas nodded as he smiled. He held his hands in hers. "Yeah. What is it?" Xion stared into his eyes with longing. She had to know what his answer would be. "If I asked you to run away with me, would you?"

Roxas was a little taken aback by her question, which she noticed his reaction. "Why?"

Xion looked down, thinking now that it was a silly question. "Never mind."

Roxas grabbed onto her hands tighter. "No. I want to know what you meant by that."

Her eyes shifted from side to side as she tried to figure out another way to ask. "If I were to… ever think about leaving and I…didn't want to leave you behind because…I care about you too…If I asked you to go with me, would you go…?" She closed her eyes as she thought that he would say it was a silly idea or that he would say no.

"Yes."

Stunned by his answer, her eyes opened. When she looked up, she saw a serious look on Roxas's face. She didn't know what to say, but she couldn't help but smile gently. It was then she decided that she would tell him the truth. She took a step back as she closed her eyes. "Then there's something you should know." Roxas waited for her to speak. It sounded serious. "Roxas... That night between us…changed a lot of things. I wasn't sure if I should tell you at first, because of how you might react, but I know…you have a right to know too. Then you can decide if you want to stay with me or not." Confusion became written on his face. Xion took his hand and pressed it against her stomach. "Roxas…I…I wanted to tell you that…" Roxas stared at her stomach as he tried to figure out what she tried to tell him. She was afraid to tell him, but knew she had to. "The truth is…I'm-."

"Xion!" Xion turned her head surprised to see Riku come up the stairs toward them, upset. He searched for her once she left the library. Roxas stepped in front of Xion as he frowned. Riku stood in front of him. "Are you bothering her again?"

Roxas glared at him. "What are you want?"

Riku stepped closer. "Every time I look for Xion, it seems that you're always trying to get her alone."

Roxas pointed toward himself. "I'm allowed to! She is with me."

"No you're not! Just leave her alone!" Riku argued.

Xion stepped out from behind Roxas and went to Riku. She didn't want an argument to break out between them. "Didn't you read the note that I gave to you a while ago?"

Riku looked a little confused. "What?"

By the look on his face, it didn't seem like he read it. She became concerned. "I-."

Roxas stepped closer. "She's not with you anymore."

Riku looked upset and grabbed onto Xion's hand. He made her stand behind him closer toward the stairwell. "Stay away from her!" Riku warned. Roxas tried to walk pass him to get Xion out of there, but Riku pushed him back.

Worried that they would get into a fight, Xion got between them. "Both of you stop it!"

Riku pulled her aside so that she wouldn't get hurt. "Stay back." Then, he grabbed Roxas by his shirt. "I told you to stay away from her."

Roxas grabbed his hand as he struggled to pull it away. "And I told you she wants nothing to do with you!"

Xion pulled onto Riku's arm to get him to let Roxas go. "Riku! Stop it!" She tried to pull him away still, but he wouldn't budge. Then, Riku held his arm aside to block her way so that she wouldn't get hurt.

Frustrated, Xion pushed them apart and stepped near the edge of the stairs. The situation became too stressful for her to handle. Her fists baled at her side as she closed her eyes tight. "JUST STOP IT! BOTH OF YOU! PLEASE I-!"

Unaware of how close she was to the edge, Xion's foot stepped back and slipped on the edge of the stairs. Her eyes widened as she could feel her body fall. Roxas looked over to see her body head toward the stairs. He pushed Riku out of the way and tried to reach for her. "Xion!" It was too late. Xion tried to find some way to stop before she could the floor hit with her hands. The front of her body fell forward against the staircase and caused pain to course through her. She closed her eyes tight as she cried out. Roxas's eyes widened, scared for the worse. "Xion!" He kneeled beside her to check on her. He was careful not to shake her. "Xion?! What's wrong?" It seemed like she was in a lot of pain as she clutched her stomach tight. When he traced along her body toward her legs, his eyes widened in surprised. Blood leaked from her body as she laid on the floor.

"Xion!" Riku quickly kneeled beside her to check on her. "She needs help!"

Riku tried to pick her up, but Roxas pushed him away. "Get away from her!" Roxas was more scared for her than angry at Riku. Roxas pulled out his phone and called for help. The ambulance came and took her to the hospital. Neither Roxas or Riku were allow to ride with her. Roxas went to the hospital to wait for news if she was okay. He waited along with Sora who waited to hear news about Xion from Kairi. Roxas paced around as he waited.

Sora gave him a concerned look. "Don't worry. I'm sure she'll be okay." Roxas still couldn't help but worry. After some time, Kairi stepped out toward them. Both of them looked anxious. "How's Xion?"

"Is she okay?!" Roxas asked, anxious.

Kairi looked concerned. "She was sleeping when she came in and the doctor's waiting for her to wake up so that she could tell her the news."

"Which room is she in?!" After Kairi told him, Roxas took off.

Sora got up and stood beside Kairi. "I wonder what's wrong with Xion…" Then, he heard a whimper from nearby. Surprised, Sora looked over at her. "What is it?" She seemed as if she was about to cry. He jumped as he looked worried. "Hey! Xion is going to be all right. She just fell."

Kairi shook her head as her hands covered her eyes. "It's not just that. I should've seen it… what's been wrong with her lately…"

Sora tilted his head. Then, he straightened back up. "You know something else, don't you?"

She turned and leaned her head against his chest as she closed her eyes. "This whole time…I didn't see it even when it was right in front of my face." He wrapped his arms around her for comfort. Even though he was confused about what was going on, he would be there.

As he walked through the hall, all Roxas could hope was that she was okay. Xion's life could be in danger and he didn't protect her like he promised. When he looked up, he saw Riku head toward Xion's room. Roxas looked down as he hoped to see her first and to avoid him again. He was still upset at what he did. He tried to head for her room, but Riku stepped in front of him. "What are you doing here?"

Roxas glared over as he walked pass. "I came here to see if Xion was okay."

Riku grabbed his arm. "Just stay away from her."

Roxas snatched his arm away. "She's not with you anymore so just go!" Roxas tried to walk pass Riku, but Riku pushed him back. Roxas growled. "Stay out of my way!" Roxas pushed Riku aside and headed toward Xion's room.

Inside, Xion was in a hospital bed. She moaned as she woke up and looked around. "…Where am I?"

The doctor who had examine her months ago stood nearby. Xion had a concerned look on her face. It was then she realized where she was. The doctor stepped toward her. "How are you feeling Xion?"

Xion closed her eyes as she struggled to sit up for a little. She was still in a little bit of pain. "I'm okay."

"That's good to hear." She signaled for the nurses to step away while she talked to Xion alone. The concerned look on the doctor's face grew. "Your fall has caused something to happen." At her words, Xion started to get worried.

Outside, Riku tried to stop Roxas from entering the room, but Roxas pushed back and slipped passed him. When they entered in the room, Roxas smiled once he saw that Xion was awake. "Xion," he said relieved. Then, the smile disappeared from Roxas's face once he noticed that she was crying.

The doctor looked sad. "I'm sorry…"

Xion shook her head a little as she closed her eyes tight with her arms wrapped around her. "No... No I couldn't have..." Roxas and Riku were worried and wondered what could've had her this upset. She continued to let the tears run from her eyes. "I couldn't have... I couldn't have lost my baby..." her voice faded out into a whisper.

The words she spoke made them froze. Roxas's and Riku's eyes widened shocked as they took in the news. "Xion..." Roxas reached out his hand. He wanted to rush to her side to help comfort her, but Riku grabbed his shoulder upset. Riku grabbed Roxas by his shirt and slammed him against the wall. Roxas closed his eyes tight from the pain he felt in his back.

Riku gave him an angry glare. "You! You did this to her!"

The doctor looked back surprised to see what was going on. The nurses came over and pulled them apart. They made Roxas and Riku leave the room and put them out into the hall. One of them gave the boys a stern glare. "If you want to visit the patient, then do so one at a time without fighting."

Roxas watched as the nurses walked away. When he turned his head, a fist had met his face. Roxas fell back to the floor. He pressed his hand against his cheek as he felt a little pain. Riku glared at him from above. "You slept with her?!" He grabbed his shirt and baled his fist. "You took advantage of her! You got her…" His fist baled as he shook uncontrollably. He couldn't bring himself to say it.

The nurse who warned them before rushed over again. "Stop it or I'll have security escort you out! I told you if you want to visit the patient, then come back next visiting hours." She glared at both of them. "I suggest you both come separately." Still fuming with anger, Riku turned and decided to leave. Roxas stood up from the ground as he looked down. He wondered what he had done. His eyes looked back toward the room before he decided to leave.

The next day, Roxas returned back to the hospital with a bouquet of flowers in his hand for Xion. He stepped inside of her room, but saw that her adopted parents, Kairi, and Namine were already there to see her. Xion seemed better now than she was yesterday. A smile was on her face that mirrored her family's. Roxas decided to leave her alone. He walked out of the room and headed pass the nurses' station. The nurse looked surprised because she had seen him walk into the room, but quickly left. "Hey!" Roxas stopped and look back at her. "Leaving so soon? You just got here."

Roxas handed the woman the flowers in his hand. "Could you give these to the girl in that room?"

The nurse looked surprised. "Don't you want to give them to her yourself?" Roxas closed his eyes as he shook his head. He walked further down the hall. The nurse leaned out of her chair as she tried to catch him before he left. "Wait! Who should I say sent them?!" Roxas didn't respond and left.

Later, Xion lied in her bed alone. Her family left some time ago and by tomorrow, she could go home. The hospital wanted to keep her for observation. Though she smiled in front of her family as if nothing was wrong, inside she was hurting over her loss. Her hand rubbed against her stomach, devastated. Once again, she felt alone. Now that the baby was gone, she didn't have to worry anymore about what her family would do if they found out and if they would help her. As she stared forward, Riku stepped into the room to see how she was doing. He could see that she was still miserable. "Xion?" Slowly, Xion turned her head toward him. She was surprised that he came by to see her though she didn't show it. Riku stepped in closer beside her. "Are you okay?" Xion turned her head from him. She didn't answer. Riku's eyes lowered. "You…you were with him, weren't you?" He was hurt by what happened, knowing that she had been with Roxas.

Xion looked down. "…Yes."

Riku couldn't look at her right away as he knew what his next question would be. "You were…having a baby. So that means that that baby was…"

Xion's head remained turned away from his. She knew what he wanted her to say. "Yes... The baby was his…" Riku sighed with his eyes closed. Her arm rested on her stomach as she got ready to explain. "I thought you knew. I didn't get a chance to talk to you so I wrote to you in a note how I felt and that…" She looked down. "…that I didn't think we should be together anymore. I didn't feel the same way about you that you did about me."

He sat down in the chair beside her bed as he looked concerned. "Why didn't you tell me?"

She thought about the conversation she had with Roxas. "I realized…that I was just using you to help me escape from my past." Inside, she felt bad for saying that, but she wanted to be honest with him. "Something bad happened to me in my past that was…really painful and you helped me to forget about it, but it was wrong of me to be with you because of that."

"So… is he a part of your past too?" He suspected as much, but wanted her to confirm it.

Xion knew that he was referring to Roxas, but he didn't want to refer to him by name. She smiled a little. "Yeah. He was a really good friend of mine. He helped me out a lot." Her eyes lowered toward her hand. "He was the only good thing about my past."

Riku looked serious. "Do you care about him?"

Her head leaned back against her pillow. "Yeah..." she whispered.

"Maybe you shouldn't." Xion looked over at Riku surprised as she wondered why he would say that. A serious look came on his face. "Look at what he's done to you! You wouldn't have to cry because of him. Listen. I'm sorry that…you lost your baby, but…he should've been more responsible. He shouldn't have made you go through that." Xion looked down. "I don't want you to get hurt by him again. Maybe it's better if you stay away from him." Xion didn't want to listen to him, but at this point, she didn't know what to do. All she could think about was what she had lost. She didn't want to get hurt again. She started to believe that she should have listened to herself and leave her past behind. All of it...

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 _Thanks for reading! I'll be back to update soon!_


	8. I Won't Let You Go!

_**Author's Notes:** Thank you for keeping up with the story! __**Warning:** This chapter does get dark so please, please read with caution... _

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_The Runaways (Roxas, Xion, Riku, and the Organization side of the story)_

 _Chapter 7: I Won't Let You Go!:_

In the morning, before class was ready to begin, Xion walked silently behind Riku as she stared toward the floor. Days had passed since she had been let out of the hospital. Xion still mourned her loss, but kept the pain to herself. Further along the hall, Roxas rushed forward in hopes of catching up with Xion before she headed into her first class. Roxas got close to her classroom when he stopped. Ahead, he saw Riku walk ahead of Xion. Roxas noticed the look of sadness on her face. Riku turned around to her and smiled. He said a few things, which made a small smile come out of Xion, before they walked inside. As Roxas watched, he felt left out of her life once again. He hadn't been able to talk to her since her accident and when he did see her, she was always with Riku. Roxas knew if he tried to confront both of them, he would end up in another fight with Riku. He didn't want to do that in front of Xion. It would only stress her out more. He knew he had to find to way to get to her. He wouldn't give up until he could talk to her one more time...

As the day continued, Xion sat in class. She stared down as she thought about everything that happened. The sad expression on her face wouldn't go away. Kairi looked back and tried to get Xion to smile with a smile of her own, but Xion wouldn't look over. At lunch, she sat alone as she didn't want to talk to anyone. After school, she worked at the library as usual. She remained quiet for a few hours. No one had bothered her.

After her day was done, Xion stepped out into the hallway. The only thing left for her to do now was to go home. "Xion!" Xion turned her head to see only Roxas stand on the other side of the hallway. He was glad that he caught her. Xion's eyes lowered. She turned and walked away from him. Roxas didn't want to lose her again. Not after days of trying to catch up with her. He ran after her. He wanted to grab her hand, but instead, his arms wrapped around her in a firm embrace. Her back pressed against the front of his body. He closed his eyes tight. He didn't want to let her go. He didn't want her to hurt again. He just wanted to be there for her. "I'm sorry!" His head leaned against her shoulder. He buried his head inside the crook of her neck. "I'm sorry…" Xion closed her eyes. She didn't try to get out of his grip. She wasn't going to run away. Roxas opened his eyes a little. "I'd hurt you again..." He rubbed his head against her shoulder. "I'm sorry..."

Finally, Xion turned around to him, which he had let her go. She looked into his eyes to see his remorse. "There's no need…to feel sorry…"

Silence stood between them. When he stared into her eyes, they seemed dark and empty. Roxas looked around to make sure no one was around to interrupt them. Then, he turned his attention back to Xion and held out his hand as a sign he wanted them to talk alone. Xion's eyes lowered. Slowly, she took his hand. She wanted to hear what he had to say. They headed outside of the school. Both of them walked gradually along the dirt road. Roxas looked over at her and decided to speak first. "Are you…okay…?" Xion wasn't sure how to answer that. Mentally and emotionally, it was too much. Since she didn't respond, Roxas took it as a sign that she wasn't. A look of regret came on his face. "I wanted to look out for you, but all I did was end up making things worse… I thought you were mad at me because of the night we had together. You weren't ready and I should've seen that. Then, I let you get hurt again. I should've kept you behind me. I should've gotten you out of there. That way, you wouldn't have fell down the stairs and ended up in the hospital. I was…scared when I saw the blood. I was afraid that I was going to lose you again." Roxas looked down as his body began to shake. At that moment, his emotions overwhelmed him. He felt weak for letting her get hurt again. "I'm sorry… Can you forgive me for not protecting you again?"

Xion listened carefully to what he had to say. She didn't hear the one thing that she wanted him to acknowledge. The one thing she was still hurting over. She waited a few seconds before she spoke, "Roxas. I don't blame you for any of it. I tried to get in the way of you and Riku before you guys started a fight. I should've made sure that Riku knew that we weren't together."

Roxas shook his head. "Don't blame yourself for any of that! It was my fault!"

Xion looked over at him. "It's not." Her eyes lowered. "We shouldn't blame ourselves for any of it. What happened, happened..."

"But I don't like seeing you like this..." Then, Roxas thought of something else that he hadn't said to her yet. "Xion…?" Her eyes didn't lift up to meet his. He continued, "I'm sorry about everything. The fight, that night…" Roxas grabbed onto her hand tightly. "And I'm sorry…" His eyes lowered toward the ground as he felt guilt well in the pit of his stomach. "…about the baby," he whispered. Suddenly, Xion turned her head to him surprised as she let out a small gasp. "I should've figured it out sooner when you tried to tell me. Maybe that way, I could've made sure you didn't have to be sad and…" The next part was hard to say. Then, he looked over at her. "Remember when you asked me if I would've run away with you? Well, even if you would've told me about the baby, I still would've run away with you." Both of them stopped. Xion couldn't believe that he said that. Still, she was glad to hear it. She leaned in and wrapped her arms around him as she closed her eyes tight. Roxas returned the hug with his eyes closed as well. Shortly after, they parted and started walking. Roxas smiled a little for comfort. "So…? Do you feel a little better?"

Xion shook her head. She felt as if she could be honest with him. "No. I still…feel sad," she admitted. She held her hand to stomach and grabbed onto her shirt. Now her insides felt empty.

Roxas could see some of her pain through her expression. "How long have you been…?"

"Three months." Roxas still felt uneasy talking about it, but he wanted to help Xion get through it. Xion looked over at him, concerned. "I'm sorry that I didn't tell you, but I didn't know how you would react. When I found out, the doctor told me that I was two months along. I didn't know what I should do. I thought that my new family would be mad at me. I didn't want to give up the baby, so I decided that if they didn't accept it, that I would run away and I would take care of the baby myself. That's why I wanted to stay away from everyone… including you. Then, you agreed to run away with me, so then I thought it wouldn't be so bad if we ran away together, but then…" Her eyes lowered as they began to shake.

He looked down with her as well. "I'm sorry..."

Xion turned to him. "I should've told you earlier you know. About…our..." She was nervous about saying "our" just as nervous as he was hearing it. A bond that would've connected them forever. Xion smiled a little. "While I was alone, I was thinking about him."

Roxas arched his eyebrow. "Him?"

Xion nodded. "Yeah. I think it would've been a 'him'."

Roxas placed his hands in his pockets. "Nah... It probably would've been a girl."

Xion looked surprised. "How come?"

He smiled as he felt more relaxed. The answer was easy. "Because 'she' would've taken after her mom… As strong as she is."

Xion couldn't help but smile more. His words made her happy and it made him happy to see her smile again. "Thank you Roxas… I guess I was holding onto to 'them' because I wanted to make sure that I wasn't alone anymore."

Roxas grabbed her hand and smiled to assure her. "As long as I'm here, you'll never be alone." Xion closed her eyes and nodded as she continued to smile. She was grateful to hear that. As they walked, she noticed something. Slowly, she slipped her hand out of his and walked ahead. Roxas stared ahead surprised and paced after her. "Xion? Where are you going?" He caught up with her and grabbed her hand, but she wouldn't stop. She wouldn't look back at him. He couldn't see the determined look on her face. He wondered where she was going. Soon, she stopped which Roxas bent down, breathing hard. He placed his hands on his knees to catch his breath. When he stood up straight, he was stunned. "What? What are we doing here?! Xion-!" He stopped once he saw the angry look on her face. Her fists baled at her sides. There, they stood in front of the organization's hideout. Luckily, there was no one there but them. Roxas stepped in front of her. He didn't understand what she was thinking. "Why did you come here?"

Xion's eyes traveled toward the ground. "I've been thinking for a while now. I shouldn't run away anymore because this doesn't compare to what I already lost." Roxas sighed as he looked down. That would be something else that would haunt him too. He was just glad that none of the organization was there to deal with. Xion advanced inside and Roxas followed behind her. Both of them took the time to look around to remember the past. Xion stopped and looked back at Roxas. "Maybe it's time to start over." Roxas nodded in agreement.

"I couldn't agree more." a voice said behind them.

Quickly, Roxas and Xion turned around as they worried that one of the members had found them. Instead, they saw a familiar silver-haired boy in front of both of them. Xion turned to him completely. "Riku? How did you find us?"

Riku stepped in between Roxas and Xion. His glare focused on Roxas. "I was looking for you after school to make sure that you were okay, but then I saw you leaving with him." Then, he stopped in front of Xion as he gave her a serious stare. "I thought you agreed with me that it was better for you to stay away from him."

Roxas got upset as he baled his fist. "Now you're trying to keep me away from her?!"

Xion's eyes lowered as she felt bad because she did agree with Riku in the hospital. Riku turned his attention back to Roxas. "Yeah so she doesn't end up being reckless like you." Roxas clutched his teeth. Riku stepped passed Xion and headed out. "Come on Xion. You should leave your past behind because you can see that it brings you nothing but trouble."

Roxas's eyes widened. "You told him about your past?!" his voice raised.

A worried look came on Xion's face. "I didn't say all of it!" She glanced toward the ground. "It was in the hospital that-."

Riku held his hand in front of her to stop her. "Stay away from her Roxas. I won't tell you again." Riku looked over at Xion. "Let's go." Xion wondered what she should do. Whether or not to leave Roxas behind again. To start a new life like she planned. Still, she couldn't forget everything that Roxas and her just talked about. Everything Roxas said...

"Xion." Xion looked over at Roxas. She could see the worried look on his face. Regardless of what was right, her heart still wanted her to be with him.

"Xion." Xion turned her head back to see Riku with a serious look on his face. "Don't fall for it. You don't want to go through the same thing again, do you? The same pain?" Xion's eyes widened. The thought of losing something else she cared about scared her. Then, her eyes lowered sad. Was Riku right?

Roxas stood surprised. He couldn't believe Riku said that just to make her go with him. Roxas felt as if he was losing her again. "Xion don't believe him."

Riku took her hands and smiled to assure her. "It'll be okay. You can start anew again and forget this. You'll be happy again." Slowly, Xion lifted her head and stared up into Riku's eyes. Xion could believe it, but she didn't know if she could truly be happy. Riku placed his hand on Xion's shoulder. "Come on. Let's go." Xion's eyes searched his. There she had found comfort. At that moment, his words were easier to believe. Riku turned around and walked along with her.

Roxas baled his fist tight. What could he do to bring her back? He wanted to be there to protect her, but he couldn't help but feel as if he had failed her again. He knew he messed up already, but he couldn't lose her. As he tried to think of what he could do or say, he searched around, anxious. Then, he noticed something. His eyes shifted over to a wooden stand. Once he saw what was on the surface, his eyes widened a little. Roxas walked over closer. There, he saw a small, black pistol. It seemed like one of Xigbar's guns. He never held one before. He picked up and opened the back. There was only one bullet inside. Memories of the past came to mind. Sadness overwhelmed him. Even back then, he couldn't protect the one he cared about most. Whether back then or now, it seemed like he couldn't protect anyone he cared for. If he couldn't, then what else could he do? He felt helpless. When he left his thoughts, he noticed that his hands shook. Out of all of his options, one stuck out in his mind. What would it be like if he had done so? Would anything change? As he buried himself deeper into his own darkness, the light left from his eyes. The violent shaking from his hands began to slow down. Roxas closed the barrier in the gun and held it at his side. "Xion..." he whispered loud enough for both Xion and Riku to hear. Both of them turned their heads. Roxas's head was tilted down to where his bangs casted a shadow over his eyes. His voice had turned dull and deadpanned. "I know that he's trying to make you choose between the both of us. I know I messed up and I'm sorry. Just know that… I never wanted to lose you again..."

Riku felt on edge as Xion became worried. Through his eyes, he seemed zoned out and lost. Then, Riku looked down at her. "He's right. We'll settle this once and for all so we don't have to keep doing this. You choose who you want to stay with."

Xion looked at Riku before she looked down. She didn't want to have to hurt anyone neither could she take being hurt again. Xion turned to Roxas. "Roxas-."

"Don't say it. If it's not me, then don't say it. It's better…that you leave now."

Xion gave him a concerned look. She reached out toward him. "Roxas…"

Roxas refused to look up at her. "I understand… I told you that I would look out for you. Now looked at what happened. I just messed things up again, but you don't have to worry anymore… It's all right now…I just want you to be happy...even if it's not with me..." Slowly Roxas's hand rose up with the gun. Its target was soon pointed toward the side of his head.

Xion's eyes widened along with Riku's. Xion baled her hands against her chest. "What are doing?!"

Riku held out his hand toward him. "Put that thing down!"

"It's all right…" Roxas whispered. The same memory from his past came to mind again. A gentle smile crossed his lips. Now, he would get the chance to see 'her' again…

Xion could see his finger began to press on the trigger. Time felt as if it had slowed down at that moment. "No!" Xion rushed over toward Roxas. Quickly, she knocked his hand away. Her head pressed hard against his chest as she closed her eyes tight and her arms wrapped around his waist. She squeezed him tighter. Tears began rolling down her eyes uncontrollably. "Don't do this!" She lifted her head toward him. "I choose you."

Riku stood stunned and anxious. "Xion! He's just using that so that you would choose him! He's bluffing! Don't fall for it!"

Xion forced the gun out Roxas's hand and dropped it on the floor. Afterwards, she wrapped her arms around as he remained still. His empty eyes stared forward, non-responsive. "It's okay. I'm here."

Cautious, Riku stepped over and picked the gun up off of the floor. He checked inside to see the one bullet still in there. Seeing that had put him on edge. He could see now that Roxas wasn't bluffing. He had every intention of using it. Riku turned his attention back to Xion. "Xion! I have the gun now! You don't have to fall for it!"

Xion shook her head. She refused to leave from Roxas's side. "I'm sorry…" Riku breathed in a little as his lips parted. He didn't want to give up, but he wasn't sure how to convince her otherwise. Roxas leaned his head against Xion. He was sure that she would leave her past behind especially him. "It's okay." Xion placed his arm around her shoulder and helped him to walk out. She glanced back toward Riku. "I'm going to take him back home." Riku watched as they disappeared. It seemed as if she had already chosen. He decided to leave them alone...

Later, the two made it back to Roxas's home. So far, it seemed as if it was only the two of them. Xion helped him to sit on the edge of his bed. Xion kneeled down in front of him as she looked concerned. He still seemed out of it. "Roxas…" Her hand brushed against his cheek. His eyes still seemed dark and empty. "It's all right now. I'm here."

"I'm sorry…about…everything. It's…my fault." At first, she was surprised to hear his words, but soon it changed back to concerned. He seemed distant like something else was on his mind. Then, he turned his head toward her. "You wanted to stay behind… right? You wanted to move on." Her eyes lowered toward the ground. He held his head down as well, disappointed. "I stopped you before you chose." He took a moment before he spoke. He had almost given into his moment of weakness, but she had saved him. Now that things were calm, he made his own decision. "It's all right…if you want to go back to him. I'm all right now. I didn't mean to make you worry. Really…I'm all right."

Xion's eyes widened as she stared at him. She was surprised that he was willing to let him go. Then, she pressed down on her teeth. She reached up and wrapped her arms around his neck. "What were you thinking…? Why would you try to do something like that…?" Roxas's eyes shifted toward the side. Back there, he let himself fall into his own sadness. Deep down, he knew what else had influenced him. Xion closed her eyes as tears began to well in her eyes. "I've already lost several people I cared about. I can't lose another…" It became too much. Tears rolled down her eyes. She buried her face within his shoulder.

Slowly, Roxas raised his hands and placed them on her back. He didn't mean to make her cry, but he wasn't sure what to say to comfort her. His eyes lowered toward the floor as his stomach tightened. He had already put her through a lot. He didn't want to make her hurt anymore. "Xio-." Then, he felt her lift from him. Suddenly, his eyes widened. Roxas felt her lips crushed against his. Her reaction surprised him. She lifted up from the floor and kneeled against the edge of the bed. He was really there with her and he was okay. The two continued to kiss fiercely. Her tongue brushed against his own. His arms wrapped around her waist as she grabbed the back of his neck. As she moved in closer to him as her knees squeezed in on the sides of his hips. As the two embraced, her hand slid down along his chest toward the buttons of his shirt. She pulled at the fabric, which made them loosen and split apart. Surprised, Roxas parted from her. "W-Wait-." Xion tilted her head toward his neck. He breathed out as he closed eyes. He felt her lips pull at his skin. "X-Xion…" She leaned forward as he leaned back. His body fell back against the bed. She placed kisses along her chest before she met his lips again. She loosened his pants before she reached up and loosened the buttons from her shirt. He sat up on elbow. "Xion…"

XXX

"It's all right…" Xion whispered. As she spoke, she reached underneath her skirt and slid her underwear off of her legs. She slid his pants further down his hips. Afterwards, she pressed hands and knees further into his bed as she adjusted herself on top of him. She closed her eyes tight as she felt a little pain. A small cry escaped from her lips. She took a moment to get used to him again.

Breath escape from him. His body began to feel more relaxed connected with her. His eyes lifted up to her along with his hand. Softly he pressed against her cheek underneath the strands of her hair. He noticed the sadness on her face. "We shouldn't…" he whispered.

Xion placed her hand on top of his as she closed her eyes. She wanted to push all other feelings aside. "Please…" His thumb brushed against her cheek. He wanted to bring her comfort. His other hand slid along her neck and pushed her shirt off of her shoulder along with the strap of her bra. He moved further down her chest and slipped his hand into the cup. She breathed out as she felt him caress her. Heat rushed to her cheeks as her lips parted. She placed her hand against his chest and pushed with her hips back and forth. More, she lost herself with him. All other thoughts were pushed out of her mind. Through her pain, she began to feel pleasure.

"Xion…" Anxious, he flipped both of them over. Her back pressed against the bed as he pressed his body against her. Xion tilted her head back as she moaned. He pressed himself hard and fast into her. Like her, he lost himself in her as well. He slipped her bra further down her breasts. His lips and tongue caressed the right center as his fingers caressed the left. Moans escaped from her lips. The feeling of sadness left. All she could focus on was what she experienced at that moment. His nails dug into his back and slid further down. As he continued, he could feel her insides tighten. He closed his eyes tight. Being with her again had made him feel as if no one could take her away again. An audible moan escaped from him. Underneath him, he could feel shake. His body pressed against hers as he reached his end. After he released, he slowed down to a stop. As he leaned his elbows, he breathed out heavily along with her.

* * *

After he relaxed a little, Roxas lifted up. Both of their eyes met. Tired, he sat on the edge of the bed. Xion turned her head toward the window. Outside, she noticed the orange and yellow colored sky. Things felt surreal. At that moment, she didn't feel sad. She didn't feel much at all. Everything that was going on didn't seem to bother her anymore. It was peaceful just to lay there. When Roxas looked back, he noticed how quiet she was. He wondered what she was thinking. "Hey…" Xion sat up on the edge of the bed alongside him. She straightened out her clothes and grabbed her underwear from off of the floor. Before he said anything, he watched as she walked out of the room. He became concerned. What if she had already left? Should he go after her? Then, he heard a sound from down the hall. A few minutes later, she stepped back in. "You're back."

She smiled a little. "You think I would leave without saying goodbye? I just went to use your bathroom."

He rubbed the back of his head. "Oh…!" Roxas smiled relieved.

As there was a calm look on her face, he sat down beside him. "Do you mind if I say here a little longer?"

He nodded. "Yeah." Later, the two of the lied beside each other face to face. As she had her eyes closed, he tilted her head against his chest. Things were peaceful and the world was left behind. He wrapped his hand around her waist and he leaned on top of his head. "It's getting late. Do you want me to walk you back?"

Xion shook her head against his chest. "No."

Roxas looked a little surprised. "Are you sure? I-."

Xion sat up as she looked a little concerned. "I was thinking that I could stay the night again."

He gave her a surprised look. "Really?" Xion nodded. "Okay….Xion? Are you sure you're okay? I mean…" His eyes traveled toward the side. "Are you sure you don't want to change your mind about me?"

"Promise me one thing?" Curious, he lifted his eyes to her. She stared at him serious. "Never do that again. I don't want to lose you..." In response he nodded. She closed her eyes as she shook her head. "I just don't understand why you would do something like that. What were you thinking?"

His eyes shifted toward the side. "I don't know...I just felt...useless. I felt like I was losing everything I cared about again."

Xion became curious. She hadn't heard anything like this from him before. "Again?"

Roxas shook his head. He didn't want to dwell on the past again. "It's nothing..."

Xion was concerned, but decided not to press on it further. "I'll be here for you when you need me and I want to stay here with you. You're not alone in this." She didn't regret what happened between them. As long as they were together, everything was fine. Afterwards, she lied back beside him. Later that night, they fell asleep together.

The next day, instead of going to school, the two decided to stay in Roxas's room. After everything that happened the day before, they weren't ready to face the outside world again. Together, they relaxed as it was just the two of them.

The morning after, Roxas and Xion walked hand in hand in the hallway. The two remained silence toward each other. Neither one of them knew where things would take them now, but inside they were happy as long as they were together.

* * *

 _Thanks for reading! I'll be back to update soon!_


	9. A Little Rain Must Fall

_**Author's Notes:** Thank you for keeping up with the story and adding this to your favorites and alerts! Sorry about the late update. For any story updates, I've started a twitter account where I'll start posting chapter and story updates! Anyway, p_ _lease enjoy the chapter!_

* * *

 _The Runaways (Roxas, Xion, and the Organization side of the story)_

 _Chapter 8: A Little Rain Must Fall:_

Xion and Roxas walked hand in hand in the hall as they did every morning now. Soon, they stopped beside her classroom. Roxas smiled at her, which she smiled back. "I'll see you later then?" he whispered between them.

Xion nodded. "Yeah." Slowly, he let go of her hand. She walked inside as she continued to smile gently at him. He returned the same smile. It had been a few weeks since they decided to stay together. Over time, things had become better between them with everything that happened and their lives were back to a state of normalcy. As long as she was truly happy with him, it made him feel happy as well. Then, the bell rung for everyone to be in class. Roxas snapped out of his thoughts as he looked surprised and ran further down the stairs to get to his own class.

When he got there, his teacher stood in the doorway with a stern glare. "You're late."

Roxas rubbed the back of his head as he wondered what excuse he should come up. "Sorry..."

She crossed her arms in front of her. "This isn't the first time that I've caught you. You've been late a few times in the past few weeks. I'm going to have to give you detention."

Roxas's eyes widened. "But-!"

The teacher headed inside as she glanced back at him. "I won't excuse this any longer." Roxas sighed as he looked down. Now he would be late to meet Xion…

After school, when Xion got out of the library, Roxas waited for her as usual across the hall. He leaned against the wall with his arms crossed. He smiled as soon as he saw her. She did the same. He held out his hand for her to take. They turned and walked together. "I should be able to get here tomorrow without being late."

Xion gave him a curious look. "What's going on?"

Roxas rubbed the back of his head. "I was late to class this morning so I got detention for a few days."

Her eyes lowered as she felt guilt in her stomach. "I'm sorry."

Roxas shook his head. "There's no need to be. Besides, as long as I can to see you every morning, I guess I can deal with it for a few days."

She nodded as she grinned. "I guess you're right."

A few days later, Larxene traveled along the second floor, bored as Axel followed behind her. He wished that she wouldn't walk around, searching for trouble, especially on a floor that brought back memories of dear friends. Larxene stopped in front of a window as she placed her hands behind her head. "There's never anything to do around here."

Axel stopped beside her. "Maybe that's a good thing."

Then, the expression on Larxene's face changed to confusion. "Huh?" Outside, she spotted Roxas walking with Xion. The two held hands as they talked. Larxene couldn't help but notice Xion's laughter. She pouted and crossed her arms. "Hm."

Axel placed his hands in his pockets as he looked curious. "What's up?"

Larxene put her hand on her waist. "Well... Doesn't she look happy?"

"Hm?" Axel glanced down at the school grounds. "Yeah."

"Think they're together now?" Larxene asked.

Axel thought about the past and whether or not he noticed any signs that Roxas cared about Xion like that. "It seems that way."

Larxene pressed down on her teeth upset. "Look at her. You wouldn't even think that we kicked her out of the organization."

Axel sighed with his eyes closed. " _We_ didn't kick her out. _You_ did something a lot worse." Slowly, he opened his eyes as he felt regret for what happened that night, for lying to Roxas and letting Xion get hurt...

Larxene smirked as she came up with an idea. "You know how I said I've been bored lately?"

Axel scratched the back of his head as he hoped that she didn't plan anything bad. "Come on Larxene… We got other things we can do. Don't worry about them."

Larxene rubbed her chin. "I just came up with a fun idea. Something we can all do as a gang together."

Axel didn't understand her. "Why won't you let this go?!"

Larxene smirked. "Because it's fun." She glanced below at Roxas and Xion before she walked off. Axel stood worried and wondered if he should warn Roxas, but he wasn't sure what she planned. He stood in place as he watched Larxene head back up to their floor where their classes were. He turned his head one more time to see Roxas and Xion sit down under a tree as they pulled their lunches from their bags. His guilt started to grow. Both of them seemed happy together. He didn't want to ruin that. Then, he turned and followed behind Larxene. He knew whatever she was up to, it would bring nothing but bad memories for Roxas and especially Xion...

After school was over, Xion waited patiently outside of her classroom. She leaned against the wall with her hands behind her back. A few minutes later, Roxas ran over to meet her. He bent over as he breathed hard. Even though she was late for work at the library, she still wanted to see him. Roxas stood up straight and saw her smile. "Hey!"

He mirrored her smile. He was tempted to kiss her, but held back. "Hey! Sorry. I wanted to see you before I had to stay after school too."

"It's your last day of staying in detention so I think you'll make it." Roxas grinned at her joke. Afterwards, they went their separate ways to where they had to go. As Xion walked in the hall, there were two people that walked toward her. She was about to step into the library, but someone placed their hand on the door. Xion lifted her head to see Larxene with a devious smirk on her face. She pulled the door closed and cornered Xion. Xion's back pressed against the door. She was a little afraid, but not as much as before. "What do you want?"

"Wow! I'm surprised you want to get to the point instead of being afraid of me."

Xion frowned as she glared at Larxene. "I'm not scared of you."

Larxene became more interested as she wondered if she would be saying the same thing later. "All right then. Then I guess you won't mind coming with us."

Xion looked behind her to see Marluxia with the same kind of smirk. She was worried, but tried not to show it. Xion shook her head. "I'm not going."

Larxene laughed a little. "Yes you are. You're going to come and hang out with us." She bent down to her level and stared into her eyes. "We're not really giving you a choice." Out of the corner of her eye, Xion could see Larxene fiddling with her pocket knife behind her back. She knew that she wouldn't hesitate to use it. "It'll be just like old times."

Xion looked up at Larxene with confusion and concern. "Why are you doing this?"

Larxene wrapped her arm around Xion and made her walk with her. "Because we miss you. That's why." Larxene pushed her forward. "Let's go!" Xion's eyes traveled down as she walked between Larxene and Marluxia. She wondered what Larxene would do next…

Inside of the detention room, Roxas leaned his head on his hand, bored. He glanced up at the clock as he waited for time to go by. He wished that he could spend time with Xion or at home, but this was the last day of punishment. He could get through it. Roxas sat by the window since it was more interesting to look outside than the blackboard. Minutes later, he spotted a group of people walk onto school grounds. Then, he noticed the one person in the middle try to run off, but a woman with blond hair caught her by the arm. Roxas's eyes widened. He took a closer look at who was really down there. Below, he recognized the woman with blonde antennas. He didn't know why he didn't see it before. Quickly, his eyes shifted over to see who Larxene caught. Short black hair and petite figure. It was Xion! Without thinking, Roxas stood from his desk and banged his fist against the glass of the window. "No!" He couldn't let her get hurt again.

The teacher in charge got worried because of his behavior. His shout made her jump from reading her book. "What's wrong? Sit back in your seat."

Roxas's eyes shook. He watched as Xion had to walk away with the two. The teacher called him again, which caught his attention. "I have to go!"

Her eyes widened. "Wait?! What?!"

He rushed to her desk and grabbed onto the edges. "I have to go now!"

She blinked at him a few times. She started to get frantic herself. "What's the emergency?!"

"Please! I have to go!" he replied with a sense of urgency.

Hearing him worried her more. "Tell me and I can let you go."

"There's a girl in trouble and she needs help!" After she heard that, the teacher calmed down. She thought that maybe it was a bathroom emergency. She frowned. "If you're looking for an excuse to get out of detention, then you should try to come up with a better one."

"Just look! She's out there!" He ran back to the window and the woman followed behind him. Then, his eyes shook. Xion was already gone. "No… I'm too late," he whispered. He was too late to convince her that Xion was really in trouble.

The teacher frowned. "I don't have time to listen to your excuses or stories." She walked to her desk and sat down.

Roxas followed her and leaned his hands against her desk. "Listen! I'm telling you the truth! There were some people just there and they took a girl!"

The teacher arched her eyebrow. "Well then. We should get the police involved, shouldn't we?"

"No…" His eyes traveled down. He didn't want the organization trying anything.

The teacher gave him a stern look. "I suggest that you sit back down now."

Roxas growled a little. Xion needed help now. He needed to find her. He was about to run out of the classroom when the teacher stopped him in the doorway. "If you leave now, then I'll have no choice but to give you something worse than detention like suspension or even expulsion."

Roxas clutched his teeth. He turned around. "This is a real emergency! I'm telling the truth!"

The teacher looked up at the clock. "You still have a little bit of time left. I'm sure you can wait until then."

Roxas shook his head. "I can't."

"Leave now and you will be in big trouble." Roxas stared at the woman who kept her serious glare. As much as it hurt him to, he reluctantly sat back at his desk. He sighed with his eyes closed. He couldn't risk getting in trouble at home nor risk talking about Xion's past. He pressed his hands on the sides of his head as he held his head down. _"Xion…just hang on for just a little bit longer…"_ The teacher saw how distressed he was and started to feel guilty, but she stuck by the rules. As the minutes passed, Roxas couldn't help but stress more. He remembered what happened to Xion before and hoped with everything that it wouldn't happen again. He couldn't handle it if he wasn't there to protect her again. He placed his head on his desk with his eyes closed. His arms covered his face. He wished that time would go faster. The teacher couldn't help but notice him still. She looked over at the clock. It wasn't time yet, but a few minutes away. "You can go now," she said, reluctantly. Roxas lifted his head. "If you want." Quickly, he grabbed his stuff and took off into the hall. He ran nonstop. He thought of only one place that they would take her. He would try to get there as fast as his feet would take him.

Inside of the hideout, Xion sat on the couch as she stared toward the floor, worried. Other members stood nearby as they talked among each other. Then, Larxene walked over and sat beside her. She smirked at her and nudged her arm. "Awe! Not having fun?"

Xion refused to look at her as she frowned. "Why did you bring me here?"

Larxene gave her a confused look. "Huh? I told you-."

"Why couldn't you just leave me alone?! I don't want to be here!" she shouted upset.

Larxene grinned. "I know."

Xion glared at her. "Is that why you keep coming after me?! Because I got out and you couldn't?!"

Larxene clutched her teeth as she got angry. "What did you say to me? Ha!" She grabbed onto Xion's arm forcefully and squeezed it in her hand. Her eyes traveled along her skin. "Most of the cuts I left on you have faded, but still, you really think that I want to end up like you? Beaten up?"

"No! You're scared to get out because the same thing that happened to me would happen to you! You won't leave because you're scared like everyone else!" Xion's voice rose.

Angry, Larxene slapped her across the face. Xion fell off the couch onto the ground, on her hands and knees. She breathed out to subdue the stinging pain in her cheek. Larxene stood up. "Let's get one thing straight! I don't care if I leave or not! I just can't stand you! Some random girl like you shows up and gets to do more than I do! Please! I'm way better!"

Marluxia, Saix, Demyx, and Zexion looked over to see what happened. Dull looks came on their faces. "Do you really have to cause more trouble?" Saix asked.

Xion sat back on the couch. Larxene glared at her, but soon walked away to calm down. Xion sat quietly and avoided the eyes of the other members. Demyx scratched his head. "Why did Larxene bring her back here again?"

Marluxia smirked. "She just wanted to bring something to play with."

Saix frowned. "This is a waste of time. She's useless now, but... Larxene brings up a point. We can't risk her telling about us." Xion wished that she could leave, but had no idea when or if they would let her out...

Outside, it started to rain. The clouds were dark and gray in the sky. Roxas ran toward the hideout where he figured Larxene had taken Xion. He hoped that she wasn't hurt. Ahead, he spotted another figure walking ahead of him. Hearing the rapid splashing behind him, the man ahead of him looked back. "Hm?" Once their eyes met, they both stared stunned. "Roxas?"

Roxas growled through his teeth. He rushed over and grabbed Axel by his shirt. "Where did she take her?!"

Axel blinked surprised as he was caught off guard. "Who?"

"Where did Larxene take Xion?!"

Axel's eyes widened. "What?!" Then, his eyes traveled toward the ground. "Larxene must've carried out her plan. She probably took her back to the hideout."

Roxas let go of Axel and walked pass him. "I'm going to get her back!"

Axel turned to him, anxious. "Wait! Let me go with you!" Roxas looked back toward him. "Listen…I know that I messed up in the past, but let me make up for it now. I want to make it up to you and to Xion." Roxas turned around to face him. He could see his look of remorse. "I was wrong that night... I should've told you where she was, but I wanted to protect you."

Roxas baled his fists at his sides. "Xion was your friend too… and if I was really your friend, you would've told me where she was!" Pushing his words aside, he took off running. "I don't have time for this!" Axel's eyes traveled down, uneasy. His words really struck him...

A few minutes later, Roxas made it to the hideout. Inside, he spotted Xion on the couch alone. She stared down with her hands together in her lap, worried. A look of relief came on his face that she was okay. Now the only thing to do was think of a way to get her out of there, especially past the others. Suddenly, a shiver ran across his body. The rain started to soak him and his clothes more from being out in the rain so long. Demyx stepped closer outside, while still being covered by the edge of the roof. He had his guitar in hand. "Hey! It's raining! I could probably go and play my guitar out there. Dance water! Dance for me!"

He was about to march out into the rain, but Zexion stopped him with a dull stare. "Isn't that an electric guitar?"

Demyx smiled. "Yeah."

"Then wouldn't that ruin it...?"

Demyx looked down at his blue guitar. "Oh yeah! Well… I could probably just buy a new one anyway!" He laughed, which Zexion sighed with his eyes closed. He shook his head and walked away.

Roxas stepped in closer once Demyx went back inside. Quickly, he moved and hid from box to box. Once he was close enough, he waited until some of the members walked away before he called out. "Xion!" he whispered loudly.

Xion turned her head. Once she saw it was him, she was stunned. "Roxas," she mouthed. She couldn't believe that he was there or that he knew where she was. He signaled for her to come over to him. Xion looked around to make sure that no one was watching her. So far, it seemed like they had taken their attention off of her. Slowly, she slid off of the couch and began to walk toward him.

"Hey!" When Xion looked back, she saw an angry Larxene head toward her. She grabbed her arm tight, which made Xion's eyes wince in pain. "Where do you think you're going?!"

"Hold on Larxene." When Xion looked over, she became surprised. In front of her, she saw Axel. "You'll have your fun in due time."

Larxene let go of her as she looked at him confused. "What are you doing here? I thought you didn't want any part of this."

He arched his eyebrow. "Is that why you didn't tell me?"

Larxene rolled her eyes. "I don't want to hear from you 'leave her alone' again."

Axel looked over at Xion. "I just wanted to see what you were going to do next." He placed his hand on Larxene's shoulder and turned her away from Xion. "Where's the fun if you start now?" He looked back at Xion who was unsure of what Axel was up to. Then, he glanced toward Roxas. Roxas blinked, surprised that Axel knew where he was at that moment. He figured that Axel was giving them an opening to escape. Axel pulled Larxene more toward the others. She gave him a confused look.

As Xion watched them, she suddenly felt her hand grabbed and she was pulled off to the side. She kneeled down beside Roxas. Xion stared at him, still stunned that he came for her. "What are you doing here? How did you know I was here?" she whispered between them.

Roxas grabbed onto her hand. "Don't worry about it. Let's just get out of here."

They turned, about to sneak off, but then a hand grabbed Xion's arm. Both Roxas and Xion looked over to Saix with a frown on his face. He forced Xion and Roxas out into the open, which caught everyone's attention. Axel looked worried. It seemed like his distraction didn't work. "Look… I found some rats that tried to sneak out." Saix glared toward Roxas. "So you came back too?"

Roxas growled as he pressed on his teeth. "I came here to get Xion back! You guys took her."

Larxene smirked as she flipped her knife in her hand. "No we didn't. She decided to come with us."

Roxas baled his fists. "Cut the crap Larxene! Why can't you just leave her alone?! She got out of this!"

"So did you." Roxas looked over at Saix. "You're right. Neither one of you should be here."

Roxas and Xion stepped back. As they did, he looked around just in case he needed to defend both of them. Then, he spotted a wooden board on the ground. He went over and quickly grabbed it. Flashes of seeing Xion and himself lying in the hospital ran through his mind. He wasn't going to let either one of them get hurt again. He held onto the board tightly in front of him. "Stay back!" Roxas warned them.

Larxene rolled her eyes. "Oh come on! There's two of them and a lot of us." Roxas lunged the board toward them to keep some distance. Larxene sighed loudly and walked in. She kicked Roxas into the stomach followed by a punch. Roxas fell back onto the floor, which Xion bent down to help him.

Quickly, Xion searched around for something to defend them with. Then, she saw the gun on the board near the couch. The same one that Roxas had picked up before the last time they were there. She ran over and grabbed it. She stepped in front of Roxas to protect him and pointed it toward the other members. Xion watched all of them to make sure no one made a move. Her hands constantly shook as she was scared. Suddenly, she saw a hand come from behind her and pressed down on the gun for her to lower it. Xion's eyes met Roxas's. His eyes gave a serious, but concern look. He didn't want her to accidentally shoot someone. If anything were to happen today, he didn't want her to get in trouble for it. He took the gun from her hand and pointed it back at the other members. The others seemed more on edge. There was a chance that he would pull the trigger.

Larxene pouted upset as she put her hand on her hip. "Oh come on! There aren't enough bullets in that gun for all of us. We can still take him."

Demyx looked nervous. He definitely didn't want to take one of those bullets. "What?! You want to risk us getting hit?!"

Roxas stepped back a little, which Xion followed him. "Listen. Don't ever bring Xion here again. I won't let you hurt her like you did before. She's not going to die because of any of you!" Axel's eyes traveled down uneasy as he thought about their past. "Don't follow us!" Roxas warned. He moved Xion back as he kept his eyes on the members until they were outside. As soon as they were, Roxas grabbed Xion's hand and took off running. The rain and air felt cold against them.

Inside, the others watched as they left. Larxene looked around at them as she wondered why they let them get away. "Come on!"

She was about to walk out there, but Saix stopped her. "Just let them go. We have more important things to deal with." The others walked away except Larxene, who pressed down on her teeth as she growled.

Outside, Roxas kept running without letting go of Xion's hand. The rain soaked through their clothes. Xion wanted to slow down, but kept running to keep up with him. As they ran, Roxas slipped and fell into a puddle on the ground. He groaned after he hit the ground hard. The road was already slick and hard to run on. Xion reached over and picked him up off of the ground. "Are you okay?"

Roxas wiped his face and turned his head to her. "Yeah." Then, he glanced back to see if anyone followed them, but there was no one there but them. Still, he wasn't willing to take any chances. He grabbed onto Xion's hand again and kept running.

"Where are we going?" she asked. Since the members knew where they lived, he thought they might cause trouble for both of them. Mostly, he wanted to run to a place where no one would find them. Finally, they reached the edge of the island where their boats were docked. They stopped in front of Roxas's boat. Xion noticed that he was shivering. "Roxas?"

The rain made him very wet and cold. He opened his eyes and looked over at her. "We're going to island. I know a place that only a few people do." Putting her trust in him, she helped push his boat off the shore. They got inside and headed for the island. Along the way, he tossed the gun into the ocean so that no one could use it again.

Once they reached the other island, Roxas took her to where there was a tree house. They got inside and sat down on the floor. They were finally out of the rain, but they could still feel the wind inside. Xion held herself with her arms as she shivered from her clothes being wet. Her eyes searched around the three walls. It was pretty empty for the most part except for the huge sheet on the back wall. "How do you know about this place?"

Roxas grabbed the sheet from the wall. "This is my brother's tree house. He told me him and his friends built it when they were younger." He hung the blanket over the entrance of the tree house to block the wind and rain. Afterwards, he grabbed a big, thick blanket that sat in the corner.

"Sora?" Xion watched as he came back toward her. Roxas nodded in response. She smiled until she could feel the cold get to her. She closed her eyes as she continued to shake.

Roxas straightened out the blanket flat and folded it so that they could lie in between it. "You're going to get sick staying in those clothes."

"Seems like you are already." She noticed the way he shivered and sniffled while he ran.

He looked concerned. "You don't mind staying here, do you? At least for a little while until the rain dies down. It looks like there's a bad storm coming."

Xion shook her head. "I don't mind staying here with you. Besides, if we're running away, at least we're doing it together."

He smiled. "Just like we wanted to." Xion nodded. He began to unbutton his shirt, which she looked surprised. He noticed her expression. "Well…it's not like we haven't seen each other before. We can get really sick from keeping these on."

Xion knew he was right. She started to get undressed as well. They placed their clothes on the other side of the tree house. He wrapped himself in the blanket. She followed after and lied beside him. Roxas stared up at the ceiling as he put his hands behind his head. Xion smiled as she held onto the blanket. "Thank you..." Her thanks caught his attention. She closed her eyes. "…for saving me today."

He was relieved that things worked out without them getting worse. "I had to. I couldn't let the same thing happen to you again. I wouldn't have been able to forgive myself."

Xion relaxed as she felt tired. "You know…you should really stop being so hard on yourself." Even if he disagreed with her, he knew there was no use telling her that he wouldn't. Soon, Xion drifted off to sleep while she heard the rain pour softly against the roof. Roxas looked over to see that she fell asleep. Since things were quiet, he decided to let himself fall asleep as well.

Sometime later, Xion opened her eyes. As she woke up, she heard something strange and felt a slight vibration against the floor. When she looked over, she saw Roxas with his eyes closed tight, shivering beside her as his breaths were heavy. She moved closer to him and touched his arm. His skin was freezing cold. She was surprised. She felt fine, but wondered why he was still so cold. She leaned over him. "Roxas?" She tried to get him to open his eyes, but he wouldn't. She looked down as she thought of a way that she could help. Then, she moved closer to him and used her body heat to try and help, but it didn't seem to work any better. He was still shivering and cold. There was only one other thing she could think of. Taking him back home wasn't the best idea since it was still raining and it would only make him sicker. She moved her body over his.

He opened his eyes a little. "What are you doing?"

Xion leaned in closer toward his face and placed soft kisses against his lips.. "I have to make you warm again."

The move surprised him. "You don't have to do this." Xion placed the blanket over them until it covered them completely. She used it as a way to keep the heat in. She continued to kiss him. Soon, his arms wrapped around her body. She took control first until he was ready and took control afterwards.

The next morning, Xion slowly opened her eyes and glanced toward the window. The rays from the sun came in partial through the sheet that covered the entrance. When she pulled back the sheet slightly, she saw the sky was blue and clear for the most part. The clouds were white instead of grey. They had slept through the storm and been there all night. Xion gazed toward the ocean as she wondered what time it was. When she looked over, she saw Roxas still asleep. It scared her when he was sick, but now, she was relieved that he seemed better than last night. She buried herself within the blanket and decided to wait until he woke up before they left. Her head rested on her arm as she closed her eyes.

A few minutes later, Roxas groaned as he woke up. Xion opened her eyes and smiled. "Good morning."

He looked over to see that she was already awake. Then, Roxas glanced toward the entrance to see that the sun was out. He was surprised that they stayed there all night. He turned toward her. "Good morning..."

She looked a little concerned. "Did you sleep okay?"

"As much as I could on these wooden boards..." Xion grinned at his comment. She could understand since they weren't the softest to sleep on. "I'm sorry that I kept you here all night…"

Xion was surprised that he apologized. "We couldn't help if we ended up sleeping here."

"And…" he started to say. Xion listened, curious. "And sorry about what happened here. I-."

It was too much. She couldn't believe that he apologized over that. She frowned toward him. "Don't!" She stopped him before he could say anything else. "Don't say that! I did that because you needed help. Don't ever say sorry for that."

He smiled a little and decided to stop apologizing before he made her anymore upset. "Well then. I guess I owe you."

Xion shook her head. "No. You helped me enough. It's okay." Then, another thought came to mind. "Things have been different since we got together. You told me sorry a lot when you don't need to."

He gave her a curious look. "What do you mean?"

"Well…" She knew she wanted to bring it up before, but she wasn't sure how. "…ever since we went to the hideout when Larxene took the gift you gave me, and our first time that night, and then what happened with Riku."

Maybe she had noticed that he was being a little different toward her. "Yeah..." he whispered.

Her eyes traveled down, sad. "So have I. I…haven't been myself either."

Roxas gave her a surprised look. "You?"

Xion smiled nervously. "Yeah. I think… there's some things we need to work out, so that way, things can be right with us again." Roxas nodded in agreement. "Then can I ask…why did you want to sleep with me that night?"

He thought back. "I was angry being back out at the hideout again. It brought up the memories of you and what happened. I needed some way to take my mind off of it and I thought that I was helping you by doing the same, but… I was doing it for me."

"You don't have to be upset about it," Xion assured him. She could see that he was still mad at himself. "I see it this way. I wanted to be with you, so it would have happened between us eventually. I don't regret it, neither should you. Okay?"

Uneasy, he lifted his eyes to her. "But what about-?"

"Wait." She stopped him just in case she predicted what he was going to say. About what they both lost... Her eyes traveled down, sad. "First...I also ask about... when we were in the hideout, when… you were…about to use that gun… You pointed it toward…your head..." her voice faded out. She touched the side of his head. That moment scared her deeply. She didn't know what she would've done if she had lost him.

Roxas sighed with his eyes closed. It was hard to think about. "I thought I couldn't protect you anymore and…I didn't want to lose you too…"

"Too?" she asked curiously. He turned silent. It seemed like something he didn't want to answer.

He shook his head with his eyes closed. "I shouldn't have done it that way. All I could think was I hurt you again and again and I couldn't make up for that."

She was afraid to ask him what was on his mind, but she had to know. "Did the thought…ever cross your mind of…pulling the trigger?"

He stared at her in silence for a few seconds before he answered, "Yeah… I thought about it..." At that moment, Xion felt responsible for him almost going that far. Apart of her was scared about what he would do if she left him. Roxas smiled to assure her. "Don't worry about it. It was a stupid thought. I wouldn't have done anything."

"Did you think that I wouldn't be happy with you? Is that it?" she asked.

Uneasy, he looked away from her. "You could be happy without me. I know that. It's just…" Xion watched his reaction as he turned silence. He tried his best to put on a smile. "It's just I didn't think that you would be happy with me."

"What would you do if I decided to leave?" she asked concerned.

He stared up at the ceiling as he put his hands behind his head. "If you felt you have to go, then I wouldn't stop you. I would be sad, but… I would just have to find a way to get over it." When he turned his head, he saw that wasn't the answer she wanted to hear. "It's over now. You don't have to worry."

"Still…" For now, she was relieved that he was all right. "Besides… how you do know I would've left with Riku?"

Sadness appeared on his expression. "Because I saw that look on your face. It's the same look you gave me when you tried to stay away from me the first time."

"I'll admit... I thought about it, but truth is, I wouldn't. Despite everything we've been through, I still want to be with you. You don't have to doubt that." A little smile came on his lips. Xion smiled more. "That's why I say we start over. Not dwell on everything that happened."

Roxas nodded. "Okay."

She held up on finger. "But let me ask you this. Why do you feel like you owe me?"

A serious look came on his face. "I told myself, since that day I saw you in the hospital, that no matter what, I would do whatever I could to protect you. That's why I wanted to see you again so that I could keep that promise. I wouldn't let you get hurt again."

Xion stared at him until she sighed with her eyes closed. "Don't you think you've already repaid that promise?"

He smiled a little. "No."

She placed her hand against her chest. "You can't just do that your whole life. Protect me."

He smiled a little. "Who said I can't?"

A nervous look came on her face. She wondered if he caught onto what he just said. Either way, it made her happy that he thought about their future. "Okay." She looked over toward the entrance with a smile on her face. "While I can't forget everything that happened to me in the past, I'm going to move on and not let it hold me back. I can't change it, so why should I continue to live like I'm still in it?" Xion turned her head to catch Roxas nod.

He looked over toward their clothes on the other side of the tree house. "They should be dry by now. At least hope so."

"Hey Roxas..? I was wondering…"

He turned his head curious. "What?"

For a moment, she was quiet as she stared at the calming ocean through the crack in the blanket. "I've been thinking... About what you were going to say a second ago, we never really did... get to say goodbye...to…" She fiddled with her fingers on her lap. "We never found closure with…"

He turned over on his stomach as he watched the sad expression on her face. "Do you mean the baby?" She nodded toward him and lied close to him as she buried herself in the blanket. "Then let's do it. However you want to, I will too."

She smiled, grateful toward him. "Thank you." A tear slipped from her eye. His hand brushed against her raven hair. Maybe it was a sign that she was getting over her pain. He closed his eyes and relaxed there with her. They slept there a few more hours before they headed back home.

* * *

 _Thank you for reading! I'll be back to update as soon as I can!_


	10. The Past: Part 1

_**Author's Notes:** Thank you for keeping up with the story! I hope that you'll like the next chapter! We're stepping back in time for this one! _

* * *

_The Runaways (Roxas, Xion, and the Organization side of the story)_

 _Chapter 9: The Past Part 1:_

 _One year ago…_

Roxas sat on the couch of the organization's hideout as his arms wrapped around the back of the couch. His eyes were glued to the ground. It had only been a week since he joined and a couple of weeks before that since he moved to the island. Suddenly, he felt an elbow push against his side. He looked over to see his new friend Axel who smiled toward him. "Why the long face?"

Roxas leaned back against the couch. "It's nothing…" he muttered.

Silently, Axel breathed out. It seemed like he couldn't get through to him. Ever since they met, he's been brooding and quiet. He wouldn't tell anything about himself when he asked. So far, out of the organization, Roxas had grown to know Axel the most since they sent Axel to hang out with him on the streets. They were the only two in the hideout for the time being. Both of them sat bored since no one had given them anything to do.

A few minutes later, Saix stepped inside with a girl at his side. Axel and Roxas looked interested. It seemed they had a new member. The girl looked small in stature and was very quiet. She wore a hood over her face preventing them from seeing what she looked like. They stopped in front of Axel and Roxas, which they looked curious. Saix pushed the girl along more toward them. "We have a new member. Show her how you do things. I'm leaving it to you to watch over them. I'll introduce her to the rest later." Afterwards, Saix turned and left.

Axel sighed as he wondered why he was getting stuck with the new members. The girl stood still in front of them as she avoided eye contact. Roxas observed her and wondered if she was just going to stand there. Axel held out his hand to the spot empty between him and Roxas. "You wanna sit?" Quietly, the girl walked forward and sat beside them. She kept the head down. Roxas and Axel glanced at each other before they looked back at her. Axel leaned his head on her arm. "So? What's your name?" She didn't answer. As they continued to get a read on the new member, she didn't seem happy being there so they wondered why she was.

After a while, a few other members came in and gather around for Saix's announcement. "We have a new member. Her name is Xion. The fourteenth one to join."

Demyx rubbed the back of his head as he smirked. "Seems like we just keep getting bigger."

Larxene rolled her eyes as she put her hands on her hips. "Do we really need to have any more kids in our gang? They'll probably screw everything up, plus what's the point of having them? It's not like they get to do the real stuff anyway."

Saix looked serious. "The point is to test them out and then we'll move them on to more serious jobs just like we tested you out." Larxene frowned. "I trust that everyone remembers our rules, right? We'll need to go over them for our new members." Roxas glanced at Xion. Ever since she got there, she just kept her head down quietly. He wondered how she joined the organization.

* * *

A few days later, Saix sent Roxas and Xion off together to test them out, to see if they had what it took for them to be in their organization. Roxas walked ahead along the road. He glanced back to see Xion follow behind him with her hood covering her face. She still hadn't spoken since she joined them. Axel tried, but didn't have any luck. It was still awkward, but something had to be done since they had to work together. "So…? How did you join the organization?" Xion didn't respond. She kept her eyes toward the ground. Roxas sighed. He didn't what he could say to get through to her. "We have to work together you know..." Roxas rubbed the back of his head as he looked away. "So if we want to pull this off, you got to talk to me."

She was still silence. Roxas was closed his eyes. It was going to be hard to work with her. "So? Um…?" she spoke nervously.

"Huh?" He stopped in front of her as he looked surprised.

"Your name is Roxas… right?" she asked quietly. Xion stared down as she fiddled her hands in front of her.

He was glad that she was coming around. "Yeah and you're Xion, right?" Xion nodded. "Hey! You don't have to worry. I'm here to help. I haven't been in the organization long and I didn't say that much either when I first joined." Roxas noticed the interested look on her face. He continued, "It wasn't until they put me with Axel that I started getting to know him. It's not so bad. So if you get to know us, I'm sure you'll want to hang out." At first, Xion looked a little surprised, but she giggled with her eyes closed. The last thing he expected was for her to laugh.

Once she relaxed, she looked over curious. They were near the market where they were supposed to carry out their mission. "So? What do we have to do?"

Roxas observed and thought about the best plan. "Well…We just need to... take a few things."

Xion looked concerned. "But…isn't that wrong?"

A serious look came on his face. "It's what we have to do if we want to stay in the organization. Then they'll give us more to do."

Xion's eyes traveled down uneasy. It still felt wrong to steal even if she wanted to stay in the organization. Roxas could see her worry. It seemed like she wasn't ready. Without her, it might be harder. "Listen. Don't worry. I'll look out for you. Just leave everything to me." Xion lifted her head surprised by his words and touched that he would say that to someone he just met. He stood closer. "In the meantime, this is what you can do." The two of them spoken among themselves, before they walked toward the market. Roxas looked back toward Xion. "Just distract the owners and don't look so nervous. I'll take care of the rest." Nervously, Xion nodded. Her stomach tightened. Everything inside of her told her to stop, but she couldn't leave him behind. Roxas looked forward, determined. "Let's go."

Casually, they walked by. Xion was still nervous and stuck close to Roxas. Xion stopped in front of the stand and pretended to look around. The owner smiled toward her. "Hi! What can I do for you?" While she talked to him, Roxas walked close by one of the stands and reached over. He managed to grab an orange and slipped it in his pocket. After he was done, Xion smiled nervously toward the owner. "Thank you. I'm going to keep looking around." They stopped by a few more stands. As she distracted the owners, he grabbed the stuff that was on their list to get.

Xion felt guilt that he was doing this on his own. When they reached another stand, Xion grabbed an apple. She tried to slip it into her pocket until she heard a voice yell toward her. "Hey!" She jumped at the sound of the owner's angry voice. "You got the money to pay for that?!" he yelled. Xion's body froze. The man walked around and grabbed her wrist. "No one steals from me and gets away with it!"

"Hold on!" Roxas rushed over. "Sorry... My sister was reaching for some munny, but I had it all with me." Roxas reached into his pant pocket and handed munny to the owner. Still angry, the owner snatched it out of his hand and walked away. "I better not catch you here next time!"

The two walked away from the outside market. Xion lowered her head, worried. "I'm sorry..." she whispered.

"It's all right," he replied calmly.

She looked over at him. "I messed up." She reached into her jacket pocket and held the apple in front of him. "Here."

He pushed it back toward her. "Keep it. It's yours."

"But…" She looked down toward the apple guilty. "You paid for this because I messed up. This wouldn't have happened if I-."

He didn't know the best thing he could say to comfort her, but only one thing came to mind. "It's okay Xion. It was your first time trying. You'll get it next time."

Xion's eyes lowered saddened. "But…I don't have the money to pay you back…"

Roxas smiled a little for comfort. "Don't worry about paying me back. Just continue to help me. We got everything we needed today because of your help. Just eat okay?"

Xion wasn't sure, but when she looked at the apple, it was too tempting to eat. They walked toward the edge where the ocean was and sat down near the water and boats. Xion devoured the apple quickly. Roxas watched surprised. She was eating as if she hadn't in a long time. "Hey! Maybe you slow down a little."

Xion stopped, but once she looked at her hands, she realized that she had eaten all of it. Her stomach growled, which she pressed her hand against it. A sad look came to her face as she looked toward the ground. Then, he held out the orange in front of Xion. "Here. You can have it."

She was surprised by his kindness "But…I thought it was a part of the list?"

"Who cares? I'll just say I ate it."

She stared down at the orange. "Are you sure?"

He shrugged. "Yeah. It's not a big deal." Listening, she took it from his hand and began eating. "Xion? Can I ask you something?" She nodded toward him. "Have you…eaten in a while?" Xion kept her eyes glued to the ground. She didn't want to admit it in front of him and kept eating. Roxas took it as a yes as his eyes traveled over to her thin, petite figure. He wondered if there was a way he should help her. He felt bad that she had to go through something like this. After she finished eating, Roxas stood up. "You ready to go?" Xion nodded and stood up. They headed back to the hideout. Once they got there, they saw that the place was empty. Roxas figured everyone must've left. Now he would have to wait to tell what Xion and he had done today and that they proved themselves.

Xion sat down on the couch. Roxas placed his hands in his pockets and looked over toward her. "Well... I guess we can go home now." Xion kept her head down as she looked sad. Roxas was about to leave, but noticed that Xion wasn't following behind him. She kept still as she sat. Curious, Roxas wondered if there was something else he didn't know about her. "Xion?" Xion didn't answer. Her body cringed at her name. Roxas walked back over and stopped in front of her. "Aren't you going home?"

"Um…? Yeah…" she replied nervously.

Roxas bent down to her eye level. Xion lifted her head, a little surprised that he stayed. "Xion? Don't you want to go home?" Xion's eyes shifted away from him. She didn't want to tell him the truth. Roxas searched her eyes to figure out what was going on. "Why don't you?" Xion's eyes started to shake. Finally, she closed her eyes. It was too much to handle. Roxas looked toward the ground as he thought that he had gone too far. "Xion? Are you okay?" Xion felt her defenses fall. Only one other person knew the truth about her and it was the reason she was in the organization now. Her head shook to answer him. A few tears left her eyes despite her attempt to try and hold them back. Roxas sat down in front of her. He didn't think it was his place, but a part of him wanted to help.

"I…" Xion began. Her voice started to choke up. "I…" Soon, she lifted her head with a smile. "It's nothing. Don't worry about it." Now things really concerned him. "It's nothing…you need to worry about. I'll be fine." Roxas didn't believe that. He sat there for a few more minutes to see if maybe she would let him in. Afterwards, he stood up and headed out. He looked back toward Xion. "See you tomorrow."

Xion smiled as best she could. "Yeah. See ya." Roxas walked away and left Xion behind. Xion held her head down. Once again, the loneliness started to get to her. She curved her body in a fetal position on the couch as tears escaped through her closed eyes. She would have to find a way to be okay and get through the night alone like she had before. She tried going to sleep despite how scared she was being there in an open place. Suddenly, she felt something lean against the couch. She turned over and seen blond hair. Roxas had his back turned from Xion as he rested on the opposite end of the couch with his eyes closed. Xion's eyes widened. She sat up on her hand. She couldn't believe he was there. "Roxas…"

He didn't reply. He thought about going back, but he couldn't leave her there alone. More than that, he didn't really want to go home at all. Soon, Xion relaxed and lied back down on the couch. She wanted to tell him he could go, but she didn't want to be alone there anymore. She felt safer now that he was there. The two remained silence toward each other as the minutes passed. The whole time Xion felt bad for keeping Roxas there instead of going home. She decided the least she could do was owe him an explanation as to why. "Roxas I…" Her eyes lowered to a close. "…I have no home to go to. Once Saix saw that I was alone, he offered to let me join the organization in exchange for working whoever the leader is. He told me that I could sleep here as long as I did my part." Roxas remained quiet, but he continued to listen. Xion sighed. She couldn't read his reaction and wondered what he was thinking.

A few seconds later, Roxas moved and took his thick, black leather coat off. Xion watched surprised. He set his coat up like a pillow. Roxas placed his hands behind his head. Xion leaned over. "Roxas... You don't have to stay here. You have a warm bed and a home to go to. I'll be fine." Roxas turned his head from her as he closed his eyes. Guilt started to fill Xion. She didn't understand why he was doing this. "Roxas please-."

"I'm not going Xion." Roxas opened his eyes. He made his decision and he was going to stick to it. "I can't leave you here by yourself. What if something happened?"

She looked uneasy. "But I don't want to keep you from going home."

"No one would miss me," he replied coldly.

Xion lifted her eyes to him, concerned. "Why would no one miss you?"

Roxas didn't answer as he thought about his own home. He knew his step mom wouldn't notice if he was gone. Even if it was for days. "The point is I can't leave you here by yourself and I'm not changing my mind. You could get hurt out here."

Xion pressed her back against the couch as she looked up at the ceiling. Apart of her felt she should keep pushing him to go, but her need for someone to be there was greater. Deep down, she was grateful that he stayed. "Thank you."

Roxas looked back toward her. "Are you hungry?"

"I'm okay," she answered. As the night went on, they both slept. When morning came, they woke up okay, surviving one night there at the hideout. Xion looked over toward Roxas and smiled. She seemed better now that he was there.

* * *

Some time had passed after that night. Xion began to hang out more with Roxas and Axel. She got to know them better and they got to know a little bit about her. Now they spent their afternoons eating sea salt ice cream.

When it got late, the members of the organization started to head out, leaving Axel, Roxas, and Xion behind on the couch. Larxene noticed that Axel didn't coming with them. She placed her hands on her hips. "You're not coming either? It's about to get worse around here."

Axel relaxed back against the couch. "I'm leaving soon."

She smirked as she leaned her chin on the back of her hand. "Oh...! I see. Like hanging out with the kids, huh?"

Axel frowned. "Hey! I'm supposed to be looking after them!"

Larxene smirked at him. "Can't you take the night off from your pets? I think I got something better you can look after unless... they're going to follow you home."

Axel scratched the back of his head nervously as Roxas and Xion looked away. They all felt awkward at Larxene's forwardness. Axel looked toward them. Roxas crossed his arms. "Just go. I think we can take care of ourselves." Axel stood up and followed behind Larxene. Roxas and Xion stayed silence until they felt the awkwardness pass. Then, Roxas stood up and turned toward Xion. "There's a storm on the way. You think you'll be fine here."

Xion tried to hide her disappointment and worry, but it didn't work. "S-sure…" She nodded. "I understand. Well don't worry. Nothing has happened since we've been here so I should be fine."

Roxas stared at her as she looked down. All of a sudden, he heard rain pouring hard against the roof as thunder roared in the sky. There was already a leak coming from the roof. He couldn't just leave her there alone and things were supposed to get bad weather-wise tonight. He tried to think of another way he could look out for Xion. Then, Larxene's words came to mind as much as he didn't like to remember. Soon, an idea crossed his mind, but he thought it was too crazy. Then, he stared at Xion and wondered if the plan would work and what were the benefits of it. There were a lot he could think of. After a few minutes, he decided to go along with the idea. All it could do was help Xion more than anything. Above all, it would keep her safe. "Xion. Come with me."

Curious, she stood up. "Where are we going?"

Roxas gave her a nervous look. "We're…We're going to my house."

Xion stared at him shocked. "But- but I can't stay with you!"

"Yes you can. It…actually would be better this way. You can stay in my room. You'll have a blanket to keep you warm and food is there. You can even take a shower if you want."

Xion looked down, nervously. "But…what if we get caught? What if you get in trouble? It wouldn't be right for me to stay without your family knowing."

Roxas placed his hands on Xion's shoulders. "It's only for a short time until we can figure out what to do, but for now it would be easier this way." Xion lifted her head and stared into his eyes. It sounded a lot better than staying at the hideout, but how could she take advantage of him like this? Roxas grabbed her arm and pulled her along before she could argue against it.

* * *

As it continued to rain into the night, Roxas stepped inside of his room and opened the window. "Come on. The coast is clear." He helped Xion climb into the room and sat on the bed along with him. A part of the way, her foot became caught on the windowsill. She fell forward and landed softly against his chest. His fingers stayed intertwined with her for support. A moment later, she lifted her head. "Thank you," she whispered. Then, she looked down. "Oh! I'm sorry! I'm getting your bed wet-!"

He frowned. "Shh! If you're too loud, they'll hear you."

"I'm sorry…" she whispered. She let go of his hand. A small smile came to her lips. "Your hands…they feel warm still. I guess I held hands with you for the first time."

Roxas closed the window as he frowned. "Don't be weird…" Xion crawled off of the bed and looked around. His room was messy with his clothes, books, and paper on the floor. Roxas went over to his door and peeked out of it to see if anyone was around. The house seemed pretty dark like his room. He closed the door and went back to Xion. "You hungry?"

Xion placed her hand to her stomach. She could feel it growl once Roxas asked her. Her eyes lowered. Her guilt took over again. "Roxas… This isn't right. I shouldn't be taken advantage of you like this. I-."

Roxas looked back toward her with a serious stare. "Xion. You're not taking advantage. Think of it this way. Think of yourself as my guest. I invited you over and so you have to accept what I offered."

She thought he had a point. "I'll pay you back someday."

"So what do you want to first?" Xion didn't know what to say. Roxas looked down at her. "How about this? You can take a shower if you want, then you can eat. We can get your clothes washed too. You can't stay in those all the time."

Xion smiled, grateful. "Thank you Roxas…"

Afterwards, Roxas grabbed a few things and walked with Xion to the bathroom down the hall. Since it was quiet and everything was dark, Roxas assumed that his stepmother and Sora were asleep. Xion turned to him with the towels he gave her in her hands and smiled. Afterwards, he left her alone. After her shower, she ate what Roxas prepared and changed into some of his clothes that he gave her to sleep in. Roxas placed her clothes aside for now and planned to wash them as soon as he could. Roxas returned back to his room to see Xion sitting on his bed. Roxas sat beside her. She looked down. "Well…I guess I'll sleep on the floor." She slid off the bed.

"You don't have to. I could sleep here."

Xion sat on the floor. "It's okay. It's your room." She stretched out on the floor.

"You don't have to. It can't be comfortable."

Xion smiled. "Really. It's okay. You've done enough for me by letting me stay here tonight." Roxas sighed with his eyes closed. It didn't seem like she was going to give in. She really was stubborn. He tossed her a pillow and blanket. She smiled. "Good night Roxas."

He lied on his bed with hands behind his head. "Good night." Soon, the two of them fell asleep. Early the next morning, Roxas woke up before anyone else did and washed Xion's clothes for her to wear. She left before anyone saw her as Roxas headed off to school.

* * *

The next few nights, Xion wanted to stay in the hideout, but Roxas refused to let her to. It seemed the new routine he introduced her to was working. She slept against the floor of room until it started to hurt her arm from sleeping on it. That night, Roxas sat up in his bed. He couldn't let it go on much longer. On the floor below, she seemed uncomfortable and she was shivering. He held out his hand. "Come on Xion."

She looked at him as she sat up. After a few seconds, she took his hand and gave in. She was too tired and in too much pain to say no. She sat down beside him. She felt a little nervous. She slept in the same room as him before, but not this close. "Um?"

"Don't worry about it."

She nodded. "Right." She lied down closer to the window away from him. Roxas lied down on his back and placed his hands behind his head. Xion put her arms underneath her head. "You know…I've been wondering something Roxas."

He looked over toward her. "Yeah."

She looked down. "You told me something one time. That no one would miss you. What did you mean by that?" Roxas breathed out a little. He was silence toward her. Xion looked back curious. "Roxas?"

He turned on his side toward her. "I guess…" His eyes lowered as he thought back. "It's silly."

"No." She smiled for comfort. He opened his eyes to see her smile toward him. "I'm sure it's not."

He looked down. "My stepmom wouldn't notice that I was gone even if it was a month. She pays more attention to my brother. She cares more about him. She wouldn't miss me. No one else would either."

Xion looked sympathetic. "I'm sure if you just see for yourself, you would know that it's not true." Her eyes drifted up toward the window. "You see you're lucky. You still have your stepmom and brother." Roxas breathed out. He knew that she had been through a lot. Without thinking, his head leaned on against her back as he closed his eyes. "She's always doing stuff for my brother. I think she resents me because of someone we both know."

She looked over toward him and smiled. "Roxas… if anyone would miss you…it would be me."

He was a little surprised at her. Xion smiled nervously, wondering how she must've sounded to him. Silence grew between them. Xion closed her eyes as she lied toward him. Roxas stared at her surprised. They had only known each other for a short time, but it sounded as if she cared for him. Then, his eyes traveled to the side. She probably only cared because he was helping her. He still wasn't sure why he did, but deep down, he really wanted to help her. Across from him, he noticed her soft breathing with her eyes closed. She must've fallen asleep already. He watched as she did. There was no doubts, no regrets about what he did for her. He would continue to help her as long as he could. It wasn't long before he fell asleep as well.

* * *

 _Thank you for reading! I'll be back to update as soon as I can!_


	11. The Past Part 2

_**Author's Notes:** Hi everyone! Thanks for adding this to your favorites and alerts and sending in reviews! Sorry about the late update! It took some time for me to get this part done, but I should be getting back to weekly updates again soon. Please enjoy the next chapter!_

* * *

 _The Runaways (Roxas, Xion, and the Organization side of the story)_

 _Chapter 10: The Past Part 2:_

The morning sun shined brightly through the window. Slowly, Roxas opened his eyes as he was awoken by the rays. He let out a groan. As much as he didn't want to, he sat up. When he stepped outside of his room, he noticed that the house was quiet. He searched around. There was no sign of his stepmother or his brother Sora, but he did wonder where a certain raven-haired girl went. Could she have already left? He left from the kitchen and headed to the bathroom. "Xion?" He opened the door. "Xion-?" He stopped in place as his eyes widened at the next sight.

In front of him, her eyes widened as well. Red crossed her cheeks as she quickly covered her body with her arms as best as she could. Embarrassed, she closed her eyes tight. "R-Roxas?!" '

He turned his head away from her as he was somewhat nervous himself. "Sorry… It was quiet so I wasn't sure if you left yet or not."

Quickly, she wrapped a towel around her. "And I thought you would be in school by now! Please knock next time!" Fluttered and unable to look him in the eye, she slipped past him. Roxas let out a sigh. He still wasn't used to having another girl in the house, especially one he looked after.

A few minutes, after he was done with the bathroom, he returned back to his bedroom. Xion was already sitting on his bed, dressed. Still embarrassed, she looked away from him as she blushed. He sighed. He didn't think it was a big deal. He sat down beside her on the bed. "Listen…it's not a big deal. Actually, it lets me know that you staying here is a good thing."

A look of confusion appeared. "Why?"

He poked her arm. "You don't look the same. I think you finally gain some weight."

Xion sighed with her eyes closed. That was the last thing she wanted to hear. "Thanks…"

He became curious by her dull tone. "What? Isn't that a good thing?"

"Maybe that's not something you want to mention to a girl..." She fiddled with her fingers in her lap. "It might sound like a bad thing."

He was surprised that she took it negatively. "I think it's fine if it's on you."

A concerned look came on her face. It had been some time since he hidden her from his family and let her stay in his room. "You've been so nice to me…" She shook her head. "I've stayed here for too long."

Roxas shrugged. "Who cares? Aren't you glad that you don't have to sleep in the hideout?"

"Of course!" She sighed with her eyes closed. She was grateful for that, but she didn't want to get him into trouble. She placed her hair behind her ear. "Still…I'm taking advantage of you…your family…"

"So what? You need to eat and you can stay here as long as you want," he assured her.

Xion turned her head to him. "You never answered why you keep doing this."

His eyes traveled toward the side as he thought. "Maybe… I just felt sorry for you."

Disappointed, her eyes lowered. "Oh…"

He arched his eyebrow. "What else did you think it was?"

She lifted her eyes to him, sincere. "I thought it was because…we were friends."

He stared at her curious. _"Friends huh…?"_ It seemed that he did spend most of his time with Xion and sometimes Axel too, but he didn't think about it much. Did it mean that they were friends? He was usually someone that kept to himself, but he became a little more open to Xion and she knew him better than anyone.

"You know… Maybe you're right." She caught his attention. Sad, her eyes traveled down. "We're not really friends. Friends are people who give in return. Not someone who just takes…"

He sighed and rubbed the back of his head. "You really are too hard on yourself..."

She pressed her fist against her chest. "But it's true! I've only been taking advantage of you!" She turned more toward him. "I want to do whatever I can to make it up to you. Just name it."

He frowned. "I told you don't talk like that."

Her eyes lowered. "Sorry…"

As something else came to mind, he looked over toward the door. "We need to be a little more careful about how much you use around here. My stepmom is starting to get suspicious."

Xion nodded. Then, she looked curious. "Shouldn't you go to school now?"

"It's fine. Let's just go. Maybe there's another mission we can do today." She looked down uneasy, which he noticed. "What is it?"

Her hands curled in her lap. "What we do in the organization…it isn't right. Maybe…we shouldn't anymore."

He looked serious. "If you don't, then how are you going to take care of yourself? You can't stay here forever."

"I know…" She knew he was right. She was stuck in a tough situation.

Roxas stood up from his bed. He placed his hands in his pockets as he looked back at her. "Come on. Let's get going." After he got ready, the two headed out. They spent the morning until the afternoon walking around and visiting the market. There weren't many people around and knew there wasn't much to do since the others were in school. As they looked around, a heavy set man with an apron on noticed them and watched them curious. "Hey! Shouldn't you kids be in school?"

Roxas frowned toward the shopkeeper. "Let us worry about that." Afterwards, he turned and walked away. Xion rushed behind him. The shopkeeper frowned and then turned back toward his shop.

Later into the afternoon, they headed to the hideout. Inside, they spotted Axel on the couch with his arm lying on the back of it in his school uniform. He smiled once he saw them. "Hey! You two made it!" Roxas and Xion stopped in front of him. "I thought you two would end up spending the day inside again."

"We got bored in my room so we decided to walk around for a while," Roxas replied.

Larxene headed over as she let out a smirk. She overheard their conversation and became interested. She placed her finger near her lips. "Wow…! I didn't know the two of you were like that... Well that didn't take long." She nudged Xion with her elbow. "You were just playing quiet this whole time, huh? I didn't think you had it in you to sleep with a guy as soon as you first meet him."

Xion gave her a nervous look as she held up her hands. Larxene was getting the wrong idea about her. Roxas frowned toward Larxene. "It's not like that."

Larxene waved her hand as she walked away. "Sure… Whatever…" she sounded as if she didn't believe them.

As soon as she left, Saix walked in and went over to them. "Roxas. Xion. I have another assignment for you."

Roxas looked serious. "Is it another test? I think we proved ourselves by now."

"Once you do this, we'll actually give you something better to do. More like what the organization actually does. You can start tomorrow. Then, we can discuss what else you can do." After Saix explained what to do next, he left the three alone. Deep down, their next assignment worried Xion. It wasn't something she wanted to be a part of…

After a few hours, sunset was upon them. Xion followed behind Roxas along the dirt road as she stared down. She was still concerned over what they had to do tomorrow. She couldn't hold it inside any longer. "Roxas…"

He stopped and looked behind him. "What is it Xion?"

At first, she wasn't sure about telling him her concerns, but she was worried about him most of all. "What Saix asked us to do tomorrow…it's too risky. We could get in a lot of trouble for this."

Roxas gave her a look of assurance. "If you don't feel comfortable with it, then don't."

"But I don't think you should do it either! I know you want to be a part of the organization, but…" She grabbed onto her arm as she looked down. "I heard some things…about what they actually do." Then, she lifted her head to him. "They really do some bad things to other people." Uneasy, her eyes shifted to the side . "I heard that…some people have gotten hurt and that some of the members actually carry some dangerous stuff. Stuff that could get you in serious trouble. I don't want you to get taken away."

He placed his hand on her shoulder. "Listen. I'll be fine. If you don't want to do it, then don't. It's not too late."

There was a pleading look in her eyes. "But…I don't want to leave you behind!"

For a moment, he turned silent. For some reason, her words struck deep. His eyes lowered as a memory came to mind. He turned away from her and started walking. His expression turned cold. "You wouldn't be the first…" Xion stood still as she was taken aback by his words. What did he mean by that? Even if she asked, she doubt that he would be open enough to tell her.

The next afternoon, Roxas headed toward the market as Xion followed behind him. He looked back at her serious. "I told you before you don't have to come with me."

She looked a little determined. She had made up her mind about today. "No. I'm not going to leave this just up to you. I'll be by your side." Even though she knew this was wrong, she was still willing to stick by his side. A look of surprise appeared on his face. He wondered if she would really be ready for today. Once they were set to go, they slipped money and products of high cash amounts into the backpacks that they carried. "All right. One more thing on the list to go. I got it." Roxas nodded toward her and went ahead. Xion grabbed the last thing they needed and placed it in her bag.

Before she took off, suddenly, she felt her arm grabbed. Scared, she looked back. What if she had already been caught? When she looked up, she saw the owner of the shop stare down at her curious. "Young lady! May I see you for second?"

Worried, she snatched her arm away and took off running. "Hey!"

Xion caught up with Roxas. Her eyes were wide and frantic as she rushed toward him. "Run!"

The owner ran out of the shop. "Hey! Someone stop them!"

Roxas's eyes widened and took off. They ran through the crowd. Suddenly, Xion felt the back of shirt grabbed. Quickly, she felt her body flung and pressed against the ground as she closed her eyes tight. When she looked back, she saw a man dressed in a police uniform. Roxas stopped, scared. "Xion-!"

"Just go!" Apart of him wanted to stay, but he saw the pleading look in her eyes. "Please! Just go! I'll be fine!"

The officer made her stand up and pinned her hands behind her. He looked over at Roxas. "Stop right there!" As much as it pained him to, Roxas ran and disappeared into the crowd. He pressed down on his teeth. Deep down, he was angry at himself for not stepping in. He hoped that she would be all right on her own...

Later, Xion sat in a chair inside of a windowless, small room as she stared down. The officer opened the door and stepped back into the room. He sat down in front of her with a look of concern. In the end, she was just an underage kid. "Listen…what you did was wrong, but since you didn't take that much and you haven't been down here before, we can let you go into the custody of your parents. Just give me their number and I'll call them." Xion looked toward the side uneasy. She couldn't tell him that she was a runaway. The officer stared at her curious. "Is there anyone that I can call for you?"

She kept her eyes away from him. "No," she finally answered.

The officer sighed. "I have to call someone. Until then, you'll have to wait here." Afterwards, he stood up and walked away. For now, she was stuck with no way out...

* * *

Inside of the hideout, Roxas's fist baled and banged against the handle of the chair. "I shouldn't have left her behind!"

Axel looked a little concerned. "It's all right. I'm sure she'll be fine. They'll probably just give her a slap on the wrist."

Roxas pressed on his teeth. "Still…"

Axel was worried about Xion too, but wished that Roxas wouldn't be so hard on himself. "If she told you to go, she probably did it to protect you." Roxas's eyes lowered, disappointed. He knew Xion felt like she owed him, but was it really worth this...? Axel relaxed against the couch. "There's no use worrying. We won't know what happens until it does. I guess we'll have to report this to the others."

"No!" Axel looked over concerned as Roxas looked anxious. "Don't tell anybody about what happened. They might decide to kick Xion out if they do."

Axel understood. "Relax. I won't."

All of a sudden, they heard a giggle. Axel turned his head surprised as Roxas looked over, on edge. Larxene stepped out with a smirk on her face. "Larxene? How long have you been there?" Axel asked curious.

"I just got here." Then, she leaned in toward Roxas as she smirked. "So…? Where's your little girlfriend? Didn't you guys have that big mission today…?"

Roxas growled. He wasn't in the mood to deal with her today. "Stop playing around!"

Larxene stood up straight and turned around. She waved her hand as she walked away from them. "Fine…Don't tell me." The two of them wondered whether or not she heard what they were talking about...

* * *

Later that afternoon, Xion was led by the officer to a small house. He knocked on the door. Soon, a couple emerged. Once they saw them, they looked surprised. Inside, they sat down at the table. "I believe that this girl was supposed to be under your care."

The middle-aged brunette woman with her hair tied in a bun looked surprised. "Y-Yes! We were supposed to foster her, but she never showed up. Is she in some kind of trouble?"

The officer waved his hand down to calm her. "We can let it slide now that she's in your care."

The woman bowed her head, grateful. "Thank you officer."

The officer smiled and headed toward the door. He took one last look at Xion and smiled with a warning. "Don't get into too much trouble again or else you won't be as lucky."

After he left, Xion turned face to face with her two caretakers. For a moment, they were silent as they stared at each other. All of a sudden, the woman let out a frown and raised her hand. She slapped Xion, which made her turn her head. "Where have you been?! You were supposed to show a long time ago! If someone came to check on you, we would've been the ones in trouble!" Xion lowered her head as she stared down. The woman's frown deepened. "I guess we better get you settled in…" She turned away from her. "I'll show you where you'll be staying." Reluctantly, Xion followed the wife and husband to her new room.

* * *

Roxas headed back home. He hurried to see if Xion was released and back in his room yet, but was stopped by a voice as soon as he entered the house. "Roxas!" When he looked over, he saw the deep-set frown on his stepmother's face. "Where have you been?!"

He frowned back. "Nowhere."

Frustrated, she stepped closer. "Obviously you've been hanging around somewhere and it sure hasn't been school! I got a call today and they said that you've been skipping days! So where have you been?!"

"I haven't been anywhere!" he argued back.

While the two fought, Sora stepped inside uneasy. He could hear their argument from outside. It was no secret that they didn't get along, but he wished they would try. He held up his hand. "Hi!"

Both his mother and Roxas stopped for a second and looked over, before they turned their attention back to each other. "I told you that I haven't been anywhere!"

"Listen! As long as you live under my roof, you will do as I say!"

Roxas waved his hand off to the side. "Whatever… You don't even want me here." He walked off toward his room.

"I'm not done yet!" When he checked his room, he saw that it was empty. It didn't seem as if Xion came back at all. Suddenly, he felt someone grab his arm. His eyes met with the stern glare of his stepmother's. "Don't walk away from me when I'm talking to you! You will start going back to school or else!"

He snatched his arm away. "You'll kick me out?"

"Show a little gratitude! I didn't have to take you in!"

"I didn't ask for any of this! I'm only here because _he_ brought me here! I'll go back home!"

Before he could walk into his room, her next words made him stop in place. "There is no home for you to go back to! Your mother is gone!" Angry, Roxas pressed down on his teeth. He slammed the door closed. He frustrated her to no end. Nearby, Sora watched as the argument played out. It seemed like they would never get along...

* * *

The next few days seemed to pass slowly. As Roxas walked through the school hall, his eyes stayed glued to the ground. More and more, he was worried because he hadn't heard or seen Xion. He wondered what happened to her and if she was all right...

"Hey! Roxas!" Roxas lifted his head and saw Axel head toward him as he smiled.

Roxas looked a little concerned. "Have you heard from Xion at all?"

Axel scratched the back of his head. "No…I haven't heard from her since you told me what happened."

Roxas's eyes lowered. "Hmm…" He really hoped that she was all right.

Axel playfully hit his back. "Don't worry. I'm sure she's fine."

Roxas's eyes traveled toward the side uneasy. "That's what you keep saying…" Then, he glanced out of the window. Once he did, a surprised look came on his face. Down below, outside, he spotted Xion in front of a girl with scarlet red hair and blue eyes. He turned more toward the window. He couldn't believe it. He was surprised to see her in a school uniform.

Axel became curious once he noticed his expression. "What?"

"It's Xion…" he spoke stunned. "She's here."

Axel looked down surprised. "You're right. Why do you think she didn't tell us that she was okay?"

"I don't know…" Roxas sounded puzzled.

Axel arched his eyebrow as he noticed the other girl with her. "Looks like she's made a new friend."

"Yeah. I see her around from time to time." Roxas watched as the two talked. "Her name is Kairi. She's my brother's girlfriend."

Axel smirked, interested. "Really…" He looked over at Roxas. "So? Are we going to go down and talk to her?" Before Roxas answered, they heard the warning bell ring for their first class. Axel shrugged and walked off. "I guess we'll have to wait until later then." As Roxas stared down, he wondered why Xion hadn't come to see him…

Later that afternoon, Xion walked next to Kairi when she heard a voice call out to her. "Xion!" Both of them looked back surprised. Roxas caught up with the two of them. The scarlet haired girl placed her hands behind her back as she smiled. "Oh! Roxas!" Kairi noticed the two stare at each other without saying a word. She became curious. "So...? How do you and Xion know each other?"

"We met not too long enough." Then, Roxas turned his attention to Kairi. "How do you two know each other?"

Kairi looked over at Xion and smiled. "One of the teachers asked if I could show Xion around and we've been friends ever since."

Xion looked curious at them. "How do you two know each other?"

"I know Kairi because she's my brother's girlfriend," Roxas answered.

Xion looked surprised. "Sora? Oh! So that's who you were looking for before?"

Kairi's cheeks flooded with red as she became flustered. "Y-Yeah. I've been meaning to tell you, but it's only recently that we got together."

Roxas placed his hand on his hip. "I'm surprised. I thought Sora would be shouting it from the rooftops by now, but he hadn't mention it yet either."

Nervously she rubbed the back of her head. "W-we were planning on telling everyone."

"You guys just got together so it's only natural that you would want your privacy before everyone starts calling you lovebirds all the time, if they weren't already," Roxas said.

Kairi smiled. "Thanks for being understanding."

"Do you mind if I talk to Xion alone?"

Kairi blinked surprised "Oh…! Sure!" She smiled at the two of them. "That would give me a chance to go find Sora." Afterwards, she walked away as she waved. "See you guys tomorrow!"

Roxas and Xion turned and walked beside each other. Once they got further away from school, Roxas turned his head toward Xion. "Why didn't you tell me you were all right?! What happened?!"

Xion looked down concerned. "I'm sorry... I've been meaning to talk to you, but things have been hectic the last few days."

A curious look came on his face. "What do you mean?"

Her eyes traveled down. "I never told you this, but…I was never really homeless. I always had someone waiting for me. When I was taken down to the station, I was brought back to my foster family."

He stared at her, stunned. "This whole time… you actually had a family you could go back to, but you just chose to sleep in the hideout or at my house?!"

Nervously, she lifted her eyes to him. "Are you mad...?"

He shook his head as he was calm. "No."

Her eyes traveled along the ground. "The truth is... I wasn't ready to go to my next foster family."

His eyebrow raised. "Next?"

She nodded. "Yes. I've been moving from foster home to foster home ever since my mother died." Roxas's eyes widened. It seemed something she said had triggered him. "The latest one has been really strict on me, especially since I didn't come to them when I was supposed to. They were pretty angry when I finally showed up. Everyday they want me to be home by a certain time. I don't want to make them more upset. "

Roxas looked concerned. "Are you okay?"

She nodded to assure him. "I'm all right."

"Well…" Curious, his eyes traveled back to her. "Do you have time…to get some ice cream?"

A few moments after, Xion let out a small smile. "Sure."

Later, the two sat near the beach as they ate sea-salt ice cream. As they sat, a lot of things crossed his mind that he felt he needed to get off of his chest. "I made sure no one in the organization knew what happened." He waited for her to respond, but she remained quiet. "I'm sorry... I should've been back there with you."

"I told you to run so that you wouldn't get in trouble too," Xion said.

"Why?" Roxas asked surprised. It sounded as if she had no regrets about what happened.

"You've done so much for me that…I just wanted to do something for you in return."

He pressed his hand against his chest. "You don't have to do that! I would've been fine! It's you I'm worried about."

She smiled a little. "There was no point in both of us getting in trouble. What's done is done. Besides… you don't need to worry about me anymore. I'm okay now." Roxas looked uneasy. Then, Xion leaned in surprised. "Oh! What do you have there?"

Roxas looked down at his hand. When he lifted it, he saw a seashell. "Oh! I didn't realize that was there." He picked it up and held it up in front of them.

"It's pretty."

He held it over toward her. "Here. Keep it."

Xion smiled and held it in her hand. "Thank you." She stood up and brushed off her skirt. "Sorry, but I have to head back now." She smiled. "We'll hang out again sometime."

"Sure." Roxas watched as she walked away. It seemed like things wouldn't be like they were before. Later that afternoon, he went home and lied on his bed. It felt strange now that she wasn't there with him. No longer did he had to watch over her. It made him a little sad…

* * *

Some time had passed. One afternoon, inside of the hideout, Larxene pointed toward Roxas who sat on the couch. "So? Where's your little friend? She hasn't been around lately. Has she up and ditched up?"

Roxas looked upset. "No!"

Saix stepped nearby in front of Axel. "That's actually a good question. We let her into the organization only to have her disappear on us."

Axel waved his hand. "I'm sure that Xion will be back. Just give it some time."

Saix looked serious. "If you don't, I'll just get someone else to bring her back. She might know a little more about the organization that we care for her to know."

Larxene smirked as she waved her knife. "Well…if you guys can't do it, then I'll have the fun of doing it myself."

"You guys don't have anything to worry about," Axel assured them. Inside, Roxas was worried. If Xion didn't come back, she could be in serious trouble…

* * *

Xion smiled as she sat across from Kairi at a table, outside of a restaurant. "Really? You don't have to keep doing this!"

Kairi smiled back. "Really I don't mind. I'm having a lot of fun. I've gotten to know you a lot better since you've enrolled in school. These have been a fun few months."

Xion glanced between the table and Kairi nervously as she smiled. "Thanks. It's been nice with you too."

"You know? I haven't heard you talk much about your family or where you're from."

Xion's eyes lowered. She decided to let out what she had been holding back from her. "The truth is…I don't really have a family…"

Kairi's eyes widened surprised. "What?"

Uneasy, Xion looked toward the side. It wasn't easy to talk about. "Right now, I'm living with a foster family. So it's either wait to be adopted or until I'm old enough to be out on my own." She placed her head on her hand. "If I just wait a few years, I'll be free to take care of myself."

Kairi looked concerned. "But that's still a long wait and to do it on your own once you're free…? It'll be hard."

"Let's face it. No one is going to adopt someone older like me." Then, she noticed that Kairi seemed worried. She smiled to assure her she was fine. "Sorry…I didn't mean to bring the conversation down."

Kairi pressed on her lips before she breathed out. "The truth is…I'm adopted too."

Xion stared at her surprised. "You are?"

"It was when I was younger. I don't remember much, but at first, it was just me and my grandmother, but after she passed, I moved to the island and I was adopted by the mayor and his wife. They really wanted a child. It wasn't long before my sister Namine was adopted too."

Xion was surprised to hear that, but glad that things worked out. "That's good!" Then, Xion stood up. "Sorry…but I have to go. I have to get back."

The two walked along the dirt road. Kairi looked concerned as she was lost in thought. Then she looked over at Xion. "Hey Xion?"

Xion turned her head curious. "Hm?"

"Are you…happy with the family you have now?"

Xion looked toward the ground, a little uneasy. "I know I should be grateful to them for taking me in, but… not really… They foster a lot of other children so it's crowded and they are a bit harsh... I just wish I could find a permanent place to call home. Somewhere where I can be happy."

Kairi's eyes traveled along the ground. After they parted ways, Kairi returned home lost in thought still. "Kairi?" her mother called out to her. Afterwards, she lifted her head and saw her parents in the living room. Her fist baled at her side. It was then that her mind was made up...

* * *

A few days later, Roxas went inside of the hideout. Across from him, he saw Axel sitting on the couch. "Still nothing from Xion?"

Roxas shook her head. "I haven't had a chance to talk to her."

Axel stretched his arm across the top of the couch. "Saix keeps asking question along with some of the other members. If she doesn't show up soon, they probably will take matters into her own hands." Roxas's eyes lowered. It seemed that things were headed for the worse…

* * *

Some distance away, Xion stared down nervously as she sat on a nice white couch. Her fingers fidgeted in her lap, on the nice dress she borrowed from Kairi. Today would possibly be a big day. Kairi walked over toward her and smiled. "Don't be so nervous. They're really nice people." Xion breathed in a little and relaxed herself. Kairi sat down beside her for support.

Soon, Kairi's parents sat across from her and greeted Xion with a smile. "Hello," her mother spoke first.

Her father's smile widened. "You must be Xion."

The fidgeting with her fingers became worse. "Y-Yes…!"

Kairi's mother smiled gently. "Now…Tell us about yourself."

Nervously, Xion grabbed the top of her hand tight. It was so nerve racking to make a good first impression. What if she messed up along the way? What if she would lose her chance? Then, she felt another hand go on top of hers. When she lifted her eyes, she saw Kairi's comforting smile. Silently, she was cheering her on. Xion relaxed a little and bowed her head as she closed her eyes. "Thank you for letting me into your home! I promise not to cause any trouble! I don't take up much space and I'll be out as soon as I can! I won't let you down!"

The two parents glanced at each other and then looked nervous. "Please relax. We want to get to know you a little better first. We honestly want to hear what's on your mind," Kairi's mother replied. Xion lifted her head. She remained calm as she spoke with the three of them.

* * *

 _The third part of the past will be posted next week! Thanks for reading!_


	12. The Past Part 3

_**Author's Notes:**_ _Thank you for keeping up with the story and thank you for sending in a review! I really do appreciate it! This is the last flashback chapter so we'll get back on track next chapter. As a warning, this does get a little violent...  
_

* * *

 _The Runaways (Roxas, Xion, and the Organization side of the story)_

 _Chapter 11: The Past Part 3:_

"Xion!" Xion turned around in the hall surprised. Roxas caught up with her as he breathed out. Finally he got the chance to see her again.

She greeted him with a smile. "Hey Roxas."

He stood up straight as he looked worried. "Xion! Listen-!"

"I have something to tell you as well," she sounded a little excited.

At that moment, Roxas became curious. "What is it?"

A grin came on her face. She genuinely seemed happy. "Guess what?! I found a family who will adopt me!"

Roxas's eyes widened, surprised. "Really…?" Xion nodded in response. "Who is it?"

"It's Kairi's family. She put in a good word for me and they agreed to let me be a part of their family," she replied.

Roxas still looked stunned. "Kairi did that…for you?" Xion nodded. Inside, he was glad that Xion was happy and grateful for Kairi's help, but still a little worried at the same time. "You seem... really happy."

"I am." Gently, Xion smiled. "Thank you Roxas." A surprised look came on his face. "If it wasn't for you, I wouldn't have made it this far. You watched out for me and I'll always be grateful for that. Now my new life can begin."

He smiled a little. "I'm glad."

"Now. What did you want to tell me?"

Apart of him pushed to warn her about the organization, but she seemed so happy that he didn't want to take that away from her. For now, he wanted her to have her moment. "It's-It's nothing."

She looked surprised. It sounded important. "Are you sure?"

Roxas nodded. "Yeah."

"All right then…" Xion turned and walked away.

As she did, he felt on edge. _"Xion… I won't let them hurt you."_ He baled his fist at his side. _"I'll be the one to protect you if I have to."_

* * *

As Xion walked home from school alone, she heard a voice behind her. "Hey there!" Demyx waved toward her. When she looked back, Larxene, Demyx, and Marluxia walked over to her.

Larxene smirked. "Well…look who we have here. We haven't seen you in a while. Where have you been? You haven't been back."

Xion looked down uneasy. "I've just been busy that's all."

Marluxia put his finger under his chin. "Too busy to hang out with us? You've been missing a lot of work." Xion continued walking, but the group stopped in front of her. "It's not that easy just to walk away. Are you still in or are you choosing to walk away?"

As she stared at them, she thought about the new life she didn't want to mess up. Then, she shook her head. "No." The others were surprised with her answer. "No. I don't want to be a part of this anymore. I won't tell anything about you guys, but now, I want out."

Demyx leaned forward and waved his finger. "You can't just leave the organization."

Xion looked determined. "I've made up my mind. I'll tell Saix that I'm leaving." Afterwards, she walked away.

Marluxia looked impressed. "She's brave. I wonder what will happen next."

Larxene pouted. "There's no way that she'll be able to leave just like that."

* * *

Sometime later, Roxas walked into the hideout. In the corner, he noticed Xion speaking to Saix privately. He stepped over toward Axel. "What's going on? Why is Xion talking to Saix?"

Axel crossed his arms. "Xion is getting out. She's not going to be a part of the organization anymore." Roxas reacted with surprised.

After she was done, Xion walked over to them and smiled a little. "I guess I'll be off them."

Axel scratched the back of his head a little sad. "That's too bad."

Roxas became more concerned about her leaving. "Xion…"

Xion smiled to assure them. "Don't worry. We're still friends so we'll see each other."

Uneasy, Roxas nodded. "Yeah…" She gave him one last smile before she turned and walked away.

Axel watched as she left. "I guess that's it."

As Roxas watched Xion, he debated whether or not to go after her. Still worried, he decided to go after her. Then, Saix stepped in front of him with a serious look on his face. "Now that we're down one member and you've proven yourself, it's time that we let you in on what we really do and it will be up to our number one to decide if he would like you to stay. You better prepare yourself." Afterwards, he walked away. Roxas seemed unsure, but ready.

* * *

Later that night, Larxene stood in front of Saix, angry. She threw her hand toward the side. "You just let her leave?!"

"That's what she wanted."

She glared as she growled though her teeth. "But nobody gets out of the organization!"

"She's not a threat we need to deal with. She doesn't know anything about our operations. Even if someone questioned her, what would she tell them? The only thing she could tell about is here and there's nothing that can link us to what the master is doing." He walked away. "It's not a matter we need to concern ourselves with anymore." Larxene pressed down on her teeth. How could he let Xion go so easily?

After Larxene left the hideout, she returned home. As soon as she stepped inside, she heard a voice, "And where have you've been?!" When she lifted her eyes, the first thing she noticed was the beer bottle in hand. Then, she lifted her eyes to the man in front of her she called her father. Already, she could see the anger in his eyes. She knew what would come next...

* * *

The next day, Xion walked alone in the crowd, in the school hallway. Then, she felt a shoulder bump into hers. "Sorry…"

"Watch it!"

When Xion looked over, she saw that it was Larxene. Larxene frowned toward her. Then, Xion noticed the bruise on her arm. "What happened to you?"

Larxene pulled her sleeve down as she looked toward the side. "Mind your own business. What do you care?" Xion became uneasy and concerned. "So you must be feeling pretty happy… You get to get out of the organization without any sort of punishment. Why did you leave in the first place?"

Xion smiled a little. "I was adopted by a family and they're really nice."

Larxene looked curious. "Huh? Who would want you?"

"The mayor and his wife decided to adopt me. Now I get to have a real family."

Larxene arched her eyebrow. "So that's why you decided to up and leave us? You get a new fancy family and everything you want. So you think you're better?"

Xion waved her hands nervous. "No! Of course not!"

Larxene glared toward her. "You just show up out of nowhere, you got to join whenever you want, and when you're done with it, you can leave whenever you want! Whatever... I guess you get whatever you want. We all can't be as lucky as you."

Xion was worried that she got the wrong idea. She didn't mean to make it sound like a brag. "It's not like that." Afterwards, Larxene turned and walked away as she was angry. It wasn't fair that Xion got the fairytale ending. It wasn't fair that she got to make whatever choice she wanted. She pressed on her teeth harder. It just wasn't fair...

* * *

Later that night, Larxene went to Saix angry. Saix turned toward her. "What is it?"

She baled her fist. "I still don't think you should've let her get off that easy."

"I told you she wasn't a threat."

"And what if I told you she was?" She could see she had his attention. "I overheard the others talking. There are things they aren't telling you about her _like_ the fact that she was taken in by a police officer for shoplifting or the fact that she actually does know the business we're into. She may not know where we're shipping the goods, but she at least knows what we're selling."

Saix looked serious. "So what do you propose to do?"

"She did leave the organization so she should be punished. We can make sure that she doesn't say anything at all."

Saix took a moment before he spoke. "Do whatever you want. Just don't cause a scene for the organization or we'll deal with you too."

A smirk curved at her lips. "Understood."

Once the others returned to the hideout, Larxene met in front of Axel, Zexion, Marluxia and Demyx. She explained her plan to get Xion. "So that's the idea."

Demyx gave a nervous stare. "That seems a little cruel Larxene."

Casually, Larxene waved her hand. "We're just trying to scare her a little. It's punishment for trying to leave. That's all."

Marluxia sighed with his eyes closed as he leaned his head on his hand. "Just leave it alone."

Larxene frowned. "Then don't help! Just know if you or anyone else gets in my way, then don't get mad if I end up hurting you too." She held up her knives between her fingers. "We'll do it later in the afternoon all right?" As Axel listened, he became worried. It sounded as Larxene would do something terrible…

Afterwards, they walked out of the hideout as Roxas headed toward it. He looked surprised. "You guys are done already?" He gave them an interested look. "What's going on?"

Axel gave him an uneasy look. What would Roxas do if he found out what Larxene was up to? Larxene leaned in toward him. "We were making plans to visit your little friend."

Confusion became written on Roxas's face. "My friend?"

"Yeah. No one leaves the organization and gets away with it, so Saix gave us the go ahead to handle things," Larxene answered.

Roxas's eyes widened. "What?! When?!"

Larxene waved her finger. "I don't think I should tell you because you'll just get in the way, since you care about her so much. Just so you know, if you try to stop me, I will make you regret it just like her."

Roxas glared toward her. "If you do anything to Xion, I'll-!"

Larxene grabbed onto his chin as she grinned deviously. "You're not going to do anything. I would stay out of this if I were you." She let go of him and walked away. Roxas baled his fists at his sides tight. Axel watched him worried that Roxas would try something risky...

* * *

The next day, Axel stared down with his hand in his pockets. What should he do? He knew he needed to warn Xion, but he hadn't had a chance to see her yet. He needed to warn her of what Larxene was planning and he had to find someway to stop it. "Axel!" He lifted his head as he snapped out of his thoughts. Roxas caught up with him in the hallway and stared at him anxious and worried. "You have to tell me! When are they going to attack Xion?! I have to know so I can stop it!" At first, Axel didn't response. "Axel!"

Axel looked toward the side. "I don't know..." His body became tense. _"If I tell him, he'll try to stop it and I don't want him to get hurt by Larxene and the others. I need to figure this out sooner than later."_

"I know Larxene would tell you! You have to tell me where?!"

Axel knew that Roxas would try whatever he could to find out. He relented. It was better if he handled it. "Fine. I know the address, but you have to be careful."

Roxas nodded. "I will."

* * *

Later that afternoon, Xion walked out of school and Larxene caught up with her. "Hey! Hey..."

Xion looked surprised. "Larxene?"

She smiled a little. "Listen… Sorry about how I acted yesterday. I was in a really bad mood, so I would like to make it up to you."

"You…You don't have to-."

Larxene wrapped her arm around her. "It's all right. This won't take long at all." The two left from school grounds and headed back to the hideout. They both sat down on the couch. "Welcome to your going away party." Marluxia, Demyx, and Zexion soon surrounded her. Larxene held up her knife. "Now... If you're going to get out of the organization, you're going to have to do it the hard way." At that moment, Xion looked worried...

* * *

Outside, the skies were dark. Rain looked as if it would pour from the skies at any second. Roxas ran to the address that Axel told him. When he went to the warehouse, he saw that it was empty. He stood stunned. _"No…I couldn't have been too late or did…"_ His eyes widened. He remembered how Axel acted when he asked where Larxene would attack Xion. _"What if he told me the wrong address...?"_

* * *

In the hideout, the others poked and pushed Xion around. Then, she fell on the floor. Larxene smirked as she put her finger to her chin. "So…? You still want to get out of the organization now?" Xion pressed down on her teeth worried. She tried to run, but then Larxene grabbed onto her backpack. Xion struggled and managed to slip out of the straps. "Hey!" Larxene reached for her. The knife in her hand slashed through her shirt. Xion grabbed onto her arm, but saw there was no blood. Quickly, she got up and ran.

Outside, the rain poured as Xion continued to run. It seemed she had gotten away from Larxene for now. Suddenly, she saw Larxene slip from behind a house and run out in front of her. She grabbed her arm. Xion tried to escape from her, but Larxene pushed her to the ground. Xion looked over and saw another her rip in shirt, but she wasn't hurt. Larxene kneeled down and grabbed her shirt. "Looks like I missed again." She smirked as she came up with an idea. "I know what will fix that." She used her knife to rip through her clothes. Xion grabbed onto her hand in an attempt to stop her, but it was a struggle. Larxene ripped through her buttoned-up shirt, then skirt and what was left underneath. After Larxene was done, Xion's bare body lied curled against the muddy ground. "Oops…! Maybe I went a little too far. Oh well…" Larxene placed the tip of the knife against Xion's arm and slowly formed a short, red line on her arm. Xion closed her eyes tight and subdued her cries in her throat. "That one shouldn't have hurt as much. Maybe we should try another spot…"

* * *

Roxas rushed to the hideout, but saw that no one was there. Breath escaped his body. There was no time to stop. He had to find Xion. He rushed further out into the rain and searched along the road.

* * *

After some time, Larxene stood up as she breathed out. Her body let out a cold shiver. The rain was starting to get to her. "This is boring! I think you've pretty much learned your lesson." Below her, Xion had her eyes closed as she breathed out hard. Her arms were pressed tightly against her chest as her legs were curled up. Larxene's eyes scanned over the few cuts and bruises she left over her arms, legs, and sides. "That will teach you about leaving." Afterwards, she walked away, leaving Xion alone. Xion tried to get up, but she couldn't. Her body felt too tired and she losing consciousness. Soon, her world had faded into black…

* * *

Roxas continued to search along the dirt roads, but so far, he didn't have any luck. The weather was getting worse and it was getting harder to see. Along the way, he called out for her, but got no response. Then, he finally noticed someone on the ground. Once he got closer, his eyes widened as his body froze. There he saw her lying on the ground injured and unconscious. "Xion…" Finally, he managed to get his body to move and kneeled down beside her. He called for again, but she didn't move. As he reached for her, his hand shook. She felt cold to the touch and her skin was pale. "No…" Tears started to fill his eyes. He was too late. He wasn't there to protect to her. He picked her up off of the ground and took off running as her body was pressed close to him. Without stopping, he ran to the hospital. Everyone near the entrance turned their heads once they heard his cry. "Please! Somebody help me!"

After the nurses took Xion, Roxas waited in the waiting room. Suddenly, he heard a voice call out to him. "Roxas!" He stood up as Kairi and Sora approached him. There was a scared look on Kairi's face as Sora looked concerned. "What happened?! Is she okay?!"

Roxas looked toward the side, disappointed. "I wasn't there to protect her…"

Sora stepped toward him. "It couldn't have been your fault."

Kairi looked anxious. "Please tell us what happened!"

Roxas took a second before he spoke. "I found her…lying on the road. She was beaten up and there were cuts on her body." Kairi placed her hands to her lips stunned. She couldn't believe that someone would hurt Xion.

Sora looked concerned. "Did the doctors say if she was okay?"

Roxas shook his head. "I don't know… I haven't heard anything since I brought her in."

Kairi glanced between them. "My parents should be by soon to see her."

Roxas's eyes traveled down. Sora noticed and put his hand on his shoulder. "Don't worry. It's good you found her when you did."

Roxas wasn't sure about that. What if Xion was worse off now than when he found her? Then, a doctor approached them. First, he turned his attention toward Roxas. "You're the young man that brought in the girl earlier."

"Is she okay?!" Roxas asked anxious.

The doctor let out a calm, but slightly concerned look. "She's fine. She's lucky you brought her in when you did. Any longer out there in the rain and this could've been more fatal."

Kairi stepped closer to the doctor, anxious. "What's wrong with her?!"

"Right now, her body temperature is very low, so we're trying to warm her back up. She's in a hypothermic state. If she not back to her body temperature soon, it could cause serious medical issues. We also gave her antibiotics for her open wounds so they don't get infected."

"Can we see her?!" Roxas asked anxiously.

"You can, but she's not awake right now. Whenever you're ready to see her, the nurse can let you know what room she's in." Afterwards, the doctor walked away. Roxas looked over at Sora and Kairi. Kairi pressed her fist against her chest, concerned. "Go ahead. I'll wait for my parents to show up." Roxas nodded and headed to her room. Guilt fluttered in his stomach as he walked. He couldn't believe that she had gotten hurt like this. Once he reached her room, he stepped inside. Blankets were wrapped around her body as she lied unconscious. The guilt inside of his stomach continued to build. Roxas sat down in a chair by her bed side. He watched her for a little bit of time before he spoke. "… I'm sorry… I should have been there. You have to be okay. Please…" While they were alone, he continued to watch over her.

* * *

The last few days had been hard. Every day, Roxas went to the hospital to check on Xion. It took time for her body to get warmed up again, only for her to develop a fever. Her life was still in danger. Worried, his eyes traveled along the floor of the hall. What else could he do to help her? All he could hope was that she was okay… When he lifted his head, he saw a familiar face ahead of him. Anxious, he rushed to catch up with the person. He followed the familiar face down the stairs. "Axel!"

Surprised, Axel turned around. "Roxas?" Without thinking, Roxas pushed him. Axel's back hit against the wall. "Wha-?"

There was an angry glare in Roxas's eyes. "How could you let that happen to her?!" Axel's eyes widened, surprised and concerned. "You knew where she was! Why didn't you go to help her?! Why didn't you tell me where she was?!" he yelled.

Axel's eyes traveled toward the side. He took a moment before he spoke. "I didn't know exactly where she was going to be attacked. I thought it would've been in the hideout, but I heard that Xion escaped and Larxene chased after her. By the time I got there, they were already gone."

Roxas shook him a little more. "But why didn't you tell me?!"

Axel's eyes lowered before they met back with Roxas's. "I…didn't want you to get hurt too…"

"That doesn't matter!" Roxas pressed down on his teeth as he looked toward the side. "If you've told me sooner…I could've protected her." Then, his eyes lifted up with anger. "Now she's fighting for her life!"

Guilt filled Axel's face as he stared down. "I'm sorry…"

Roxas pushed Axel aside. "Yeah right…" He walked pass him. Before Roxas left, he stopped and looked back at Axel one more time. "If you were really sorry, then you would've helped me." Afterwards, Roxas headed further down the stairs. Axel leaned against the wall as he felt miserable. Nothing he could do could change what happened to his friend…

After school, Roxas stopped by Xion's hospital room and sat by her bedside. "Sorry that I'm late." He reached into his pocket and placed a seashell on the nightstand next to her bed. "I went to the beach and got this for you today." His eyes traced over the other shells. He started a tradition of bringing her a new seashell every day in hopes that, when she woke up, she would like it and he could see her smile. Still, she hadn't woken up yet. He gave a look of disappointment and concern. She didn't seem any better, but at least she wasn't any worse. He sat back in his chair. He hoped that she would wake up soon. He spent some time with her before he went back home. His mind was still stuck on Xion and what happened to her. Anger began to rise in him again as his fist baled at his side. He couldn't just let Larxene get away with what she did...

* * *

Inside of the hideout, there was an angry glare on Axel's face. "How could you do something like that?! Right now, Xion's in a hospital fighting for her life!"

Larxene rolled her eyes as she leaned her head against her hand. Her body stretched out on the couch. "Stop making a big deal out of this…"

"If she dies, do you know how much trouble you'll get in?!"

Frustrated, she sat up quick. "I don't care! If she wasn't so weak, she would've been over this by now!"

Axel pressed down on his teeth upset as he growled. He turned around and headed outside. "I hope you regret what you did..." He looked back as there was a warning glare in his eyes. "…because it will just come back to get you."

Larxene frowned and then crossed her arms as she turned away from him. "Psst…" Afterwards, he left. For a few minutes, things were quiet until she heard footsteps approach closer and closer behind her. She closed her eyes as she frowned. She figured Axel was back to give her another lecture. "What do you want now?" She waved her hand. "I told you I don't care what happened to that girl."

Suddenly, she felt someone pull her off the couch by her coat. Her body hit the ground. Surprised, she turned onto her back. Right away, a pair of hands grabbed her jacket near her neck. "Then I shouldn't care what happens to you!"

Soon, her eyes met with the one that pinned her against the ground. "You…" She smirked as she relaxed. "Let me guess… You wanna get revenge for your little girlfriend?"

Roxas shook her once and caused her head to hit the ground again. "Why did you attack Xion?! What did she ever do to you for her to deserve that?!"

Larxene shrugged. "Maybe I just felt like it." Roxas growled through his teeth. She could see the anger in his eyes grow. "I told you before. No one leaves the organization without consequences. If she wants to get out, she'll have to fight her way out." His anger began to take over him more. He raised his fist. "What…? You gonna hit me now? Will that make you feel better?"

"You deserve worse than what you did to Xion!"

She laughed a little. "Do it, but it won't change anything."

He didn't understand how she didn't feel even the slightest bit of remorse. "You're sick…"

"Do it. Come on." His teeth grinded against each other. Soon, she felt his fist against her cheek. Apart of him tried to stop, but he couldn't help it. She needed to pay for what she did. She giggled. "Feel better now?" Roxas growled. It didn't seem to faze her. He tried to strike again, but she caught his fist. She flipped him over on his back and went over him. His eyes winced in pain. Her legs pinned his arms down along with the weight of her body. She pulled out one of her short knives.

"Let me go!" Roxas shouted.

"Since you attacked me, it's only fair that I defend myself. Now…. As a part of the organization, you shouldn't be this upset. The rules are clear. Anyone that leaves will be punished. You're still one of us, right? Then you should understand."

"No! I don't want to be a part of it anymore! I'm done!"

Interested, Larxene smirked. "Really… Well then…" Suddenly, Roxas felt pain in his arm. One of his eyes closed tight as he tried not to cry out in pain. The tip of the knife went into his forearm and caused a little bit of blood to come to the surface. "It's not too late. If you're still apart of us, then I won't hurt you too much."

He growled though his teeth and pain. "Go screw yourself."

She shrugged. "Suit yourself." A smirk curved at her lips. "Then you can be just like your little friend." Slowly, she moved her knife down his skin, splitting it open. The pain got to be too much. He cried out as he closed his eyes tight. The smirk never left her lips. Time seemed to go by slow. He wished that it would stop. Eventually, she did. When Roxas looked over, he noticed a long line of blood running down the side of his arm that went from his wrist to the middle of his elbow. Larxene stood up. "Let that be lesson not to come after me again. Congratulations…you're out of the group." Roxas could hear the sound of her footsteps becoming faint. He managed to turn on his side. It was a struggle to get up. He began to feel woozy and faint. He couldn't take anymore. His eyes lowered to a close as he turned back on his back. It felt as if the end of near. Through his blurred sight, he heard a voice yell in the distance.

Later that night, Saix walked in along with Marluxia and Demyx. As soon as they came in, they noticed blood on the floor. "What is this?"

While they spent some time trying to figure it out, they heard a voice behind them, "Wow! He actually managed to move after that." They looked back surprised to see Larxene.

Saix gave her a suspicious glare. "What do you know about this?"

Demyx became curious. "Why is there a lot of blood on the floor?"

Larxene smirked as she stepped toward Saix. "I took care of a pest. Those two new members you let join were useless. They both just wanted to leave in the end."

Marluxia crossed his arms, confused. "That still doesn't explain why there's blood on the floor."

Larxene looked serious. "That boy Roxas came in and attacked me, so I took care of him. He told me that he was going to leave the organization, so I gave him a parting gift."

Saix glared toward her. "Did you kill him?"

She shrugged. "Who knows… I have no idea where he is now."

Saix gave her a stern look. "That was reckless, just like you did with that girl. You better hope that this doesn't come back to you or else we'll have to take care of you."

Larxene frowned. She thought that he would be thanking her. "Hey! I did you a favor! Even if he does survive, I doubt he'll be stupid enough to tell what happened."

Demyx put his hands on his hips. "Larxene could be a part of our clean-up crew. That way I don't get stuck with those kinds of jobs." Saix gave one last glare to Larxene before he walked away. He really hoped that this wouldn't have to be something he would have to deal with later.

* * *

"Hm…" Slowly, Roxas opened his eyes, still feeling groggy. "Huh…? What am I…?" When he looked around, he saw that he was in a room covered in white. When he looked down at himself, he noticed that he was in a hospital gown and his arm was wrapped in bandages. When he lifted his arm, his eyes winced in pain. Somehow, he was still alive, but he didn't understand how.

After a few minutes, a doctor along with a nurse walked in. "Ah! You're awake." A man bigger in stature and tan skin approached him first. Roxas noticed the nurse beside him adjust his IV bag. "How are you feeling?"

Roxas turned his attention back to the man. "Um…? Okay I guess…"

"Do you know why you're in here?" Roxas looked down at his bandaged arm. The doctor took that as a sign. "That was a close one. You lost a lot of blood when you came in. You were lucky someone brought you in when they did."

Roxas reacted with surprise. The last thing he remembered was being in the hideout alone. "Do you know who it was?"

The doctor looked up as he thought. "No I don't…All I know was he had fire red hair. He came in begging for us to save you. I haven't seen him since." Roxas's eyes lowered. It sounded as if it was Axel who saved him. While mentally he thanked Axel, he still wished that he had helped Xion as well. "Now. How did you get that long cut on your arm?" Roxas stared at the doctor. He remembered what happened at that moment. If he told, he wondered what the organization would do? After waiting for a little, the doctor could tell he didn't want to answer. "That was very dangerous what you suffered. It could've been fatal." He looked toward his chart. "You wouldn't have happened to…try to commit suicide, did you?" Roxas's eyes widened and narrowed. "According to your family history, it seems you had a family member who did the same thing."

Roxas turned his head to him. "No! I didn't! I was attacked!" Then, his eyes lowered. He really didn't want to think about the past that still haunted him.

"Then you should report this." Roxas pressed his lips together. "It's all right to tell." It seemed that he wouldn't. The doctor breathed out. "You lost a lot of blood so we had to do a transfusion. Over time, you should feel better. In the meantime, get some rest and drink plenty of fluids. You'll be out in no time." Afterwards, the doctor and nurse left the room.

Roxas's eyes lowered toward the bed. He wondered how Xion was doing. After he was feeling up to it, he went to her room. Inside, he saw that she was still sleeping. She looked better than she did last time. He sat down by her bedside. "Hi…Xion." He placed his hand against his head. "I'm sorry. I wasn't able to bring you a seashell today. I've been stuck here for a few days it seems. I'll make sure to make it up to you." He sighed a little. "You would be pretty mad at me. I did something foolish. I went after Larxene, hoping that I could make her pay for what she did, but I ended up getting hurt instead." He placed his hand on his bandaged arm. "I quit the organization. You were right about them and I should've listened to you a long time ago. Yet…you stuck by my side because all I wanted to do was get in." He placed his head down. "I was really stupid." He slipped his hand into hers and held onto it. "Please…wake up soon. Okay?"

* * *

"Roxas!"

Roxas sat up surprised and curious out of his hospital bed. Soon, he saw Sora walk in as Ventus followed behind. "Sora? Ventus?"

They both waved. "Hey!" Sora greeted him.

"How are you feeling?" Ventus asked.

Roxas looked between them. "I'm fine. What are you guys doing here?"

Sora smiled more. "We're your brothers! Of course we would come to see you!" Roxas was touched to hear that.

Then, Vanitas stepped out from behind the curtain. "Yeah yeah. Just tell us what happened."

Roxas became surprised. "You're here too. I thought you didn't like me."

Sora smirked as he looked over at Vanitas. "What gave you that impression?"

Roxas looked serious. "He called me one of dad's bastards."

Vanitas shrugged. "Aren't we all?"

Venuts rubbed the back of his head uneasy. "We made him come."

Vanitas arched his eyebrow. "So start talking. What happened to your arm?"

Roxas looked toward the side upset. Sora tilted his head to the side curious. "You don't wanna tell us?"

Ventus pressed his fist against his chest. "This is serious. You almost died."

Vanitas put his hand on his hip. "Just spill it already." Since Roxas didn't answer, he would answer for him. "You were attacked, weren't you?" Roxas's eyes lowered. Vanitas waved his hand as he turned away. "I'm not going to force it out of you."

Sora looked uneasy. "Is it true? Were you attacked?"

Reluctantly, Roxas nodded. "Yeah…"

Ventus looked surprised along with Sora. "But who would want to do that?!"

"You guys don't have to worry about that. I'm all right now," Roxas tried to assure them. Sora and Ventus were concerned while Vanitas was suspicious.

"Uh…so…?" Sora placed his hands behind his head as he smiled a little. He could tell that he didn't want to talk about it. "When did the doctor say you could leave?"

"It should be pretty soon," Roxas replied. They spend some time talking before the three decided to leave. "Sora?" Sora looked back curious and turned to Roxas. "Did you grab one?"

Sora reached into his pocket and pulled out a seashell. "Yeah." He handed it to him.

Roxas looked down at it in his hand. "Thanks."

Sora arched his eyebrow curious. "Why are you collecting them now?"

"Just because..."

"Hmm…" Sora wished that Roxas would let him in, but he wanted to help whenever he could. Afterwards, he walked away...

* * *

In her room, Xion slowly opened her eyes. Softly, she moaned. Her body felt stiff and heavy. "Hello."

Xion turned her head toward the unfamiliar voice. Beside her, she saw a silver haired boy that stood across from her and leaned against the wall. She became concerned even though it didn't show on her face. "Who…who are you?"

"I'm a friend of Kairi's. I was waiting for her to come back." He stood up straight. "I'll go get the doctor."

A few minutes later, he returned with the doctor who proceeded to check on her. After the doctor left, Kairi and the silver haired boy were there alone with Xion. Kairi moved in and hugged her. "Xion…We were so worried about you! We didn't know when you were going to wake up!"

Xion stared at Kairi before she looked over at the boy with her. "Who's…?"

Kairi stood up straight and brushed her hair aside. "Sorry…" She smiled as she looked over. "This is my friend Riku. He decided to come with me since Sora couldn't."

Riku nodded. "It's nice to meet you."

Kairi placed her hands behind her back as she glanced between them. "Right…! You two haven't met before." Then, she became concerned. "Xion? Can you tell us what happened to you? Who attacked you while you were out in the rain?" Xion's eyes lowered toward the bed. She remained quiet. Kairi didn't want to push her on the subject. "It's okay. You went through a lot. You should rest." Afterwards, Xion lied back down as Kairi spoke with her.

The next few days, it seemed the same. Xion remained quiet while Kairi and Riku came to visit. One afternoon after they left, they ran into a nurse that was about to head inside. "Oh! Excuse me." Gently, she smiled. "I'm glad that she has friends to come visit her. I know she's had some rough nights."

Kairi looked curious and concerned. "What do you mean?"

The nurse looked concerned. "Well…Since you are family, I could inform you. It seems that she's been having nightmares and crying out in her sleep, so the doctors have been giving her something to help her calm down."

"Really?" Kairi pressed her hand to her chest worried. She wanted to know what Xion was going through. There had to be some way to help her…

* * *

Roxas stepped into Xion's room. He went over to her nightstand and placed another shell on the top of the dresser. It seemed every time he went in, she was asleep, but this time was different. When he looked over, he saw that her eyes were open. He was surprised. "Xion!" Then, a look of relief washed over his face. "You're awake," he whispered. He grabbed onto her hand as he smiled a little. "I was really worried about you. I didn't want to think the worse." Xion sat up and stared at him with a blank expression. He began to wonder why. "Xion?"

"Who…are you…?"

A feeling of dread spread across his face. He grabbed onto her hand tighter. "What do you mean?! It's me! Roxas! You remember me, right?" Her eyes searched his. When she stared at his face, it seemed to be a blur. Xion shook her head. Stunned, he sat back in his chair. How could what happened make her forget, especially after all the time they spent together? He felt the need to try again. "Xion. It's me. Roxas... We've known each other for a while now. Remember? You used to stay at my house and we would spend most of the day together. You don't remember that?" She took a second before she shook her head. The anxious feeling was overwhelming. He moved in closer to her. "Come on Xion! You have to remember! You know who I am!"

Xion closed her eyes tight as she looked scared. "Please! Stop!" Her words made him freeze.

A nurse rushed in and looked surprised. She saw the scared look on Xion's face. "Is everything all right?" Then, she looked over at Roxas. "Maybe it's better if you give her some time alone."

Roxas sighed silently and got up. The nurse followed him out of the room. Anxious, he turned to her. "I don't understand it! Why doesn't she remember me?!" Sad, his eyes lowered toward the ground. "Why was she scared of me…?"

The nurse looked concerned. "She had a near death experience and whatever happened to her traumatized her. When we asked what happened to her, she finally told us that she didn't remember." His eyes widened, stunned. "One of the symptoms of hypothermia is memory loss, so it is possible that she forgot what happened that night or…?"

"Or... what?" he asked.

"Or…" Her eyes met with his. She had to be honest. "Whether it's a side effect of hypothermia or possible retrograde amnesia, there's also the possibility that…she's trying to forget on purpose what happened to her, so her mind has regressed to a time she felt safe. Memory can be a mystery."

Roxas's eyes lowered. "So it's possible…that she forgot about me…" His fist baled at his side. "So maybe… she forgot this whole year…" He turned and walked away. He didn't know what else he should do. The nurse watched him concerned.

* * *

The next day, Riku walked into Xion's room. She was already awake and sitting up. "Hey." She watched as he sat at her bedside. "Sorry… Kairi should be here soon. She told me to go ahead and see how you were." He looked curious. "How did you sleep last night?" Her eyes lowered toward the bed. "It's still pretty bad, isn't it?" Xion nodded slightly. "It's all right. The nightmares will pass. You just have to think of something good. I heard from Kairi that you'll be able to go home soon. That's good news." Xion still remained quiet. "Things will get back to normal soon. Then you can put this all behind you."

Xion lifted her eyes to him. Her lips parted. It took a moment before she spoke. "Riku…?"

He looked curious. "What is it?"

"…We've never met before, right?"

He shook his head. "I heard about you from Kairi, but that was about it. Why do you ask?"

Xion looked forward. "…The truth is…I had a hard time remembering Kairi at first…" Riku was surprised to hear that. Her eyes lowered. "That's why I didn't say much when I woke up. I just wasn't sure. Now…I've had another person come to me, but I couldn't remember him either. He said that we were friends."

"Kairi did mention that you spent time with someone else. Maybe that was him."

She wondered if he was right. "Maybe…"

"Are you worried?"

She looked at him concerned. "Yes…"

"What was the last thing you remember?" he asked.

Her eyes traveled to the side as she thought. "I remember bits and pieces, but it's a blur. Mainly, I remembered when I first came to the island..."

Riku smiled a little. "Welcome then. It's small and not much goes on, but it's quiet enough." Xion looked a little surprised, but then she smiled a little. "That's the first time I've actually seen you smile since we've met. That's good."

His words made her a little nervous, but she kept her smile on. "What should I do now?"

"Once you get better, Kairi said that there some homework that you have to make up, but with help, you'll get though it in no time." Xion became worried. How would she get through all the make-up work? "I'll help you if you want."

His voice snapped her out of her thoughts. She gave him a surprised look. "You will?" He nodded. Grateful, Xion smiled. "Thank you." Her smile made him smile as well.

* * *

Roxas headed inside of the library as he carried his backpack. His mind was still back at the hospital. Ever since he visited Xion, he felt sad. It seemed what happened to her had broken their bond. He wasn't sure where to go from there. For now, he would give her space so he wouldn't pressure her to remember. "Hey! You must be Roxas. Right?"

Roxas lifted his head at the sound of a girl's voice. He saw two guys and a girl sitting at a table, staring at him curious. "Yeah."

The girl smiled toward him. "Hey! It's nice to meet you. The teacher told us that you needed to catch up on some work while you were out. So we're here to help."

Roxas looked around at them curious. "So are you guys…?"

She grinned. She realized she forgot to introduce herself. "Oh! I'm Olette!"

"I'm Pence!" he waved.

"Hayner…" His frown increased as he looked off toward the side.. "Did you have to drag us to study too?"

Olette put her hands on her hips. "You need as much help catching up as Roxas does."

"We're in your class," Pence clarified.

Hayner noticed the bandages on his arm. "What happened to you?"

Roxas looked down at his arm. "It's nothing."

Olette let out a friendly smile. "Come sit with us and we'll get started." Roxas sat down beside her. All four of them opened their books. As they studied, they talked. Roxas and Hayner were a little closed off at first, but soon warmed up to each other and the conversation they had with Pence and Olette. An hour later, Olette closed her book. "I think that's enough for today." She looked over at Roxas. "Wanna get some sea-salt ice cream with us?"

Roxas's eyes traveled toward the side, unsure since he used to get ice cream with two other friends. "Come on! I think we deserve something after all of this studying," Pence said.

Reluctantly, Roxas nodded. "Sure."

In town, they stopped by the ice cream stand and sat near the beach to watch the water. Olette, Hayner, and Pence started to eat while Roxas stared at his ice cream. The others glanced over at him. Olette looked concerned. "Roxas?"

"Roxas?" Pence called out to him too.

Roxas rose his head curious. "Hm?"

"Why are you crying...?" she asked.

Roxas blinked surprised. Soon, he felt a tear roll down his cheek. He didn't realize he was. He wasn't sure why. Quickly, he wiped his cheek. "It's-It's nothing. I'm fine." He took a bite out of his ice cream. The others were concerned, but decided not to press him on it.

Later that afternoon, Roxas walked home alone. He thought about earlier when he held his sea-salt ice cream. The more he thought about it, the more he came to a conclusion. He remembered the good times when he would eat with Xion and Axel, but now, it seemed like they would never get those times back. He opened his hand and looked at the seashell. It was the last one he planned to give to Xion. His eyes lowered to a close as another tear escaped. He didn't know if he would ever get his friend back…

* * *

 _Thank you for reading! I'll be back to update soon!_


	13. Amends

_**Author's Notes:** Thank you for keeping up with story! Hope you'll like the next chapter! _

* * *

_The Runaways (Roxas, Xion, and the Organization side of the story)_

 _Chapter 12: Amends:_

Roxas walked passed the kitchen as he headed for the front door. As he went by, Sora stood in the kitchen, eating when he noticed him. "Hey!" Roxas looked back surprised. He didn't think anyone was home still. He walked into the kitchen to see a curious Sora. "Where are you off to in such a hurry?"

Roxas looked uneasy as he rubbed the back of his head. "Oh. I'm just…meeting with Xion..."

Sora became a little concerned. They hadn't really talked about what happened recently, but inside, Sora really hoped that he was all right. "I see..."

Across from him, Roxas didn't want to tell the real reason as to why he was going out. To him, this was personal. "Well…see ya." Soon, he walked out the door.

* * *

On the island, Xion sat on her knees near the edge of the water. The day was slightly cloudy as if it was going to rain at some point. She took a white flower out of the pile that she placed beside her and let it float on the water. It drifted along with the waves further out in the distance.

"Xion!" She turned her head to the voice that called to her. Nearby, she saw Roxas come up on the dock and head toward her. Roxas noticed the flowers on the sand beside her and the one that floated in the water. She wore a black, sleeveless dress that stopped at her knees. He sat down beside her. He raised his knee and placed his arm on top. "I see you already started."

She picked up another flower and lightly rubbed one of the petals. "I got here a little early, so I decided to do some for myself. I say which part of the past I want to let go and then I let it float away in the ocean. I hope it will take some of the pain away with it." She smiled a little toward him. "I'm glad you're here with me. Are you ready?" He nodded. They stood up as Xion grabbed the flowers. Nervous, she looked over at Roxas. "I'm...not really sure what to say…"

He placed his hands in his pockets. "Whatever you want to. It's okay," he assured her.

Xion breathed in as she prepared herself and gazed out toward the ocean. "Goodbye little one... I'm sorry that we never met. I don't know what life would have been like with you, but I'm sure…it would've been something wonderful." She bent down and put the flowers she brought on the water so that they could float away. She watched them as they floated further away. It made her feel slightly better not to hold onto the pain anymore.

As Roxas watched the flowers drift away, it really began to dawn on him again on what they had lost. It brought up the feeling from before when he had lost someone else. "I'm sorry..." he whispered. Xion lifted her head to see him staring straight ahead. There seemed to be more sadness in his eyes. At that moment, she wasn't sure what to say to him. Mainly, he had been there to comfort her through her pain while he kept his inside. She understood less about what was going on through his mind. "Hey Xion…? Do you think that it was meant to be? That this was meant to happen? That maybe... we weren't meant to have this baby?"

Xion stared at him stunned. She wondered why he would say something like that. "Don't say that!"

His eyes lowered and darkened. "It's true. Maybe this was meant to happen." Suddenly, he felt a slap, which made him turn his head. He looked back at her as he rubbed the side of his cheek. The sting from her hit still hurt.

Xion closed her eyes tight as she placed her hand over her mouth. Soon, she let tears fall from her eyes. "Don't say that…" she whispered. "It's all my fault…"

Roxas placed her hands on her shoulders as he turned her toward him. "We told each other that we wouldn't blame each other. Besides, it wasn't you who did it." He lifted his eyes toward the ocean as he pulled Xion into an embrace. "That's why I think…maybe it wasn't meant to be. We weren't ready to take care of them." He leaned his head on hers. "I don't know how we would, so we shouldn't feel bad." His eyes traveled toward the side. "Besides…they're lucky to not have someone like me…" His expression softened and saddened more. "I don't want to end up being someone like…" As much as it pained him to say it, he still let it out. "...my dad…"

Xion pushed herself out of his arms and baled her fists at her sides. "You're wrong! You would've been great and they would've loved you no matter what, just like I do!"

His eyes widened a little as his breath shortened. "Xion… What did you…?" his voice faded.

It wasn't the way she wanted to reveal her feelings, but there was no turning back now. "Listen…I don't know what you've been through and I know you keep your feelings inside, but I'm not going to let you be hard on yourself anymore!" He stared at her surprised. "You don't know what things would've been like, but you shouldn't automatically assume the worse. I think we would've been fine and I think you would've done the same for them as you've done for me!"

He rubbed the back of his head as he looked toward the side. She sounded so confident that it put what he said to shame. His eyes lowered toward the ground. "Thanks Xion…" Then, he lifted up his eyes to her. "This isn't the end…There's always…another chance…"

She pressed her hand to her chest. "I know…"

Gently, Roxas smiled for comfort. "The important thing is they're in a better place now."

Xion closed her eyes as she breathed out. What he said, she believed was true. She nodded. The last step to grieving was acceptance. "You're right." Then, she looked out toward the ocean along with him. "We can move on now."

"Yeah..." Roxas whispered.

A few moments later, she spoke. "About what I said earlier…"

Surprised, he looked toward her. "Hm?"

She placed her hands behind her back as she was slightly nervous. "I…um… That wasn't the way I wanted to say it…"

He became more curious. "Say what?"

A blush came to her cheeks as she could feel herself get more nervous. "I know we said that we're starting over, but in the heat of the moment, I told you how I felt." She turned to him to face him properly. "Well it's true. I felt that way for a while now." She smiled as she built her confidence inside. "I love you."

For a moment, he stood silent and took in her words. It had been a long time since he heard them from anyone. He didn't know that she felt that strongly about him. It touched him... Before she could ask what he thought about her confession, she felt his arms wrapped around her. His face became buried in her shoulder. His reaction surprised her. After all this time, the girl he cared for most had cared for him back.

Later, Xion and Roxas were on the sand as they let the water hit their bare feet. They stared up at the cloudy sky. "Hey Xion?"

Xion kept staring at the sky. "Yeah?"

Roxas thought about what they had been through today. Inside, he felt a little better. "Thank you for today." She looked at him surprised. He smiled a little. "Things will work out. You'll see. We'll make sure of it."

Xion smiled as well. "Yeah. We will."

Almost an hour passed when the two headed back to the mainland. Their hands were locked with each other's as they walked down the dirt road toward home. Roxas's eyes traveled toward her, which Xion noticed. In return, she smiled gently. Roxas smiled back. He noticed that Xion seemed happier now that they had worked through things. At the same time, she noticed that he seemed happier as well. No more words needed to be said. As they walked, a familiar figure nearby spotted them. He realized they hadn't noticed him yet and were focused only on each other. He hesitated, unsure if he should approach them after everything that happened. His eyes traveled toward the ground as he thought about what he should do. As Roxas and Xion moved closer, the man stopped and turned around. This time, he would be ready to face whatever happens next. Curious, Xion looked over and saw the familiar face who waited for them. As she stopped, she gave a concerned look and turned toward Roxas. "Roxas?"

Roxas gave her a confused look and then looked over. Instantly, Roxas's feet came to a halt. A frown crossed his lips as his face became tense. "What do you want Axel?"

Axel's eyes lowered toward the ground. It was no question that Roxas was still angry at him for what he had done. He rubbed the back of his head as he looked away. "I just wanted to say hey that's all…"

Roxas's fists tightened at his sides. He was about to step forward, but Xion kept him back. "You have some nerve after what you did!"

"Roxas…" Xion tried to calm him down. It did help somewhat.

Axel held out his hand. "Listen… Can we just talk? Come with me."

"I'm not going anywhere with you!" Suddenly, Roxas felt a tug on his arm, which he looked over.

Xion stared at him with pleading eyes. "Wait." This was something else that he needed to move on from too. She wanted him to stop being angry. "I think that you should hear him out. Please… After all, he did help us. He helped you most of all."

Roxas sighed with his eyes closed. She did have a point. Afterwards, he turned to Axel. "Fine."

Axel smiled and then looked toward Xion. He was grateful for her help. The three walked for a few minutes. Along the way, Roxas was suspicious about where they were going, but he kept to himself. It wasn't long until they reached the spot where they used to get ice cream together. Axel looked back toward them. "Do you guys want any?"

Roxas frowned. "Ice cream isn't going to make up for it."

"I know…" Axel turned toward the cashier and asked for three sea-salt ice creams. Afterwards, the three sat together. Silence stood between them for a few minutes. Nervously, Axel scratched the back of his head. "Well…I just wanted to say…I'm sorry." He pointed toward himself. "I didn't want to lie, but I wanted to make sure that you stayed out of the way and I would handle finding Xion."

Roxas frowned as he stared at his ice cream. "It doesn't matter. I went after Larxene because of what she did to Xion and got hurt anyway." He lifted his head to him. "I thought Xion was supposed to be your friend too! How could you let that happen to her?!" Roxas's yell had set Xion and Axel on edge.

Xion wanted to say something to calm him, but she knew it was best for him to get it off his chest now. Axel looked down, disappointed in himself. "I didn't want it to..."

Roxas baled his fist on his leg. "But the organization comes first right?! You do whatever they tell you to do no matter how wrong it is!"

Axel looked concerned. "Roxas-."

"Xion almost died!" Xion closed her eyes as she breathed in. Roxas calmed down a little. He held his head down as he thought of how scared he was back then. "I almost lost her…"

Axel's eyes traveled down sad. "I know. I almost lost her too and then you got hurt-."

"That doesn't matter!" Roxas yelled.

Axel became anxious. "Listen! I didn't help the organization hurt her!"

Roxas leaned toward him. "You think just because you didn't lay a hand on her, that it makes you innocent in all this?! You think this means I'm supposed to forgive you?! No matter what, I could've saved her!"

Axel felt it was too soon to ask, but he had to know. "Will you ever forgive me…? You too Xion?" Roxas clutched his teeth together. Xion was fine now, but if she would have died, he didn't think he could forgive him. Still, could he now? His bangs covered his eyes. "Roxas?" Axel called. Roxas didn't respond. Axel looked down as he started to lose hope. Suddenly, he felt a fist meet the side of his cheek. The hard strike made Axel fall to the ground with his eyes closed tight. His ice cream dropped beside him.

Xion's eyes widened and stood up. "Roxas! Stop!"

"Xion! Stay back!" His yell made her body freeze. She was worried about what he would do next. Roxas reached down and grabbed Axel by his shirt. Roxas raised his fist to hit him again.

"It's okay Xion. I deserve it…" Axel closed his eyes and waited for him to get his angry out. Then, Axel heard a sigh above him. He opened his eyes to see Roxas lower his fist.

"You're not even worth it anymore." He let go of Axel and stepped back.

Xion stood up and went to Roxas's side. "Roxas… You should forgive him!" Xion looked down at Axel. "Because I already have." Axel stared at her stunned as he breathed in. She turned her attention back to Roxas. "Remember earlier? We talked about forgiveness and letting go of the past. It's clear that Axel is trying to make amends." She glanced over at him. "He started with the other day when he tried to help us escape. Even before that." Then, she turned her head back Roxas with a stern look. "Don't forget that it was Axel who saved your life! You wouldn't still be here without him!"

Roxas's eyes lowered toward the side. "That's not the point... Things wouldn't be this way if he would've just told me were you were in the first place."

"I don't blame Axel for trying to protect you. There wasn't much you could do. Larxene would've came after me regardless." Xion pressed her fist against her chest. "I wouldn't want you to get hurt either because I care about you too, so I'm glad that he tried to protect you." She closed her eyes tight. "I don't know what I would've done if he hadn't saved you. I can't lose you too." Roxas looked at her concerned. She had already been through a lot in such a short time. Axel sat up from off of the ground concerned as well. Xion relaxed and then smiled toward Axel gently. "And I can tell he really misses you a lot as his friend . I really want you to have your best friend back."

Roxas was still unsure. "But... you're my best friend."

"You're both my best friends too," Axel's eyes traveled along the ground. "At least…you were…"

Xion held out her hand. "We still could be." Surprised, Axel looked at her. Soon, he grabbed Xion's hand and stood up. He scratched the back of his back of his head. There was a look of regret on his face. "I really am sorry Xion."

Xion smiled a little. "It's all right. It's time that you move pass this too." She grabbed Axel's hand with her left hand and then Roxas's with her right. He moved their hands closer together. Roxas still wasn't sure about it. Roxas grabbed her hand tighter and pulled her away. Xion gave him a surprised look. "Roxas?"

"Let's go Xion." Roxas pulled her along. Both Xion and Axel were worried that he wouldn't change his mind...

Axel's eyes widened, anxious. "Roxas!" At first, Roxas stopped. He didn't look back at him. Axel watched and waited for him to say something. Roxas glanced back at him one more time before he left. Axel sighed as he looked down. He didn't know where he stood now, but he just hoped that one day, Roxas would be able to forgive him...

After a few days had passed, Axel walked in the school hallway with his hands in his pockets. His eyes were pointed toward the ground. He hadn't been happy much after his confrontation with Roxas. He still had no answer as to whether or not he forgave him. As the people passed him by, he lifted his head up and glanced further down the hall. Suddenly, his expression changed into surprise. Walking toward him, he saw Roxas holding Xion's hand. She laughed as he smiled toward her. Axel stopped as he tried to remember what hall he was on, since he usually didn't see the two of them. He was more nervous about coming face to face with Roxas again. He didn't know what else he could say. Roxas looked and noticed Axel frozen in the hallway. The smile disappeared from his face as he continued to walk forward.

Axel's hand shifted from his hips to waving toward them. "H-Hey!" He cleared his throat as his eyes searched the ground for something to say.

Slowly, Roxas placed his hand on his shoulder. "Hey! Don't stress it. I'm sure you'll have more to say later." Axel stared at him stunned. Not only was Roxas talking to him, but he was friendly. Axel stared until Roxas and Xion were out of sight. Before they left, he noticed their smiles. Axel couldn't believe it. It had to be a good sign. As he stood in the hall, he was happy. Maybe this really was their chance to start over again...

* * *

 _Thanks for reading! I'll be back to update soon!_


	14. Our Different Paths

_**Author's Notes:** Thank you for keeping up with the story! Hope you'll like the next chapter!_

* * *

 _The Runaways (Roxas, Xion, and Riku Side of the Story)_

 _Chapter 13: Our Different Paths:_

"Can't wait?" Sora grinned toward Roxas as they walked together along the dirt road. Roxas's eyes lifted toward the sky with his hands in his pockets. After they got out for the summer, Xion had to leave the island for a few months along with Kairi for summer school. Even though Roxas had Sora and his friends to keep them company, he still missed her a lot. It was quiet not to hear from her. They made it toward the edge of the island and gazed out over the ocean. They couldn't help but feel a sense of peace as they stared over it. "I can't believe how fast a few months went by. I know you can't wait to see her again. Have you heard anything from Xion?"

"Not really..." Curious, Roxas glanced at Sora. "Have you heard from Kairi?"

Sora's eyes traveled down disappointed. "Not much… but I know that they should be here soon."

Then, Roxas's eyes traveled down and toward the side. "You… didn't have to come out and wait with me you know."

Sora was surprised by his words. "What? Why wouldn't I?" When he noticed the serious look on Roxas's face, he became uneasy. Sometimes, he didn't understand what he was thinking. Then, Sora smiled toward him. "I don't mind waiting here with you."

"What about Riku?" Inside, Roxas was surprised that Sora decided to come with him instead.

Sora put his fist toward his lips. It was an awkward situation to be in. Roxas is his brother, but Riku is his best friend and someone he considered like a brother. It didn't seem like the two were going to get along. He wished that wasn't the case, but maybe it would work out someday. Sora smiled toward him. "It's fine. He said that he had somewhere else to go and that he would see Kairi later. Really, I don't mind being here with you."

Another reason came to Roxas's mind as to why. "Or maybe he doesn't want to run into Xion..."

Sora sighed with his eyes closed. It really was a messy situation. Then, he shook his head. He decided to look on the bright side. "Either way, at least we get to spend time with each other." Roxas's eyes widened in realization. Surprisingly, Sora had spent more time with him, but he wasn't sure why. Maybe Sora really did try to get closer to him as his older brother. The two stood by the ocean and talked while they waited. Suddenly, Sora's eyes widened as he felt a pair of arms wrap around his waist. He heard a giggle behind his back. Sora turned around surprised to see a red-haired girl with a grin. Happy, he wrapped his arms around her and embraced her. "Kairi!"

Roxas turned around to Xion that was behind him. She tilted her head as she smiled toward him. "Roxas!"

A smile curved at his lips, happy to see her. "Xion." He tilted his head down and connected his forehead to hers.

After Sora greeted Kairi, they looked over toward Roxas and Xion. "Hey-!" Before Sora could greet Xion as well, he noticed that Xion and Roxas seemed busy. Roxas's arms were wrapped around Xion's back as her arms were wrapped around his neck. Their eyes were closed as they kissed.

Nervously, Sora and Kairi watched as the two reconnected in front of them. "Um…guys?"

"Hello…?" Sora tapped Roxas on the shoulder, but he didn't respond.

Kairi placed her hands behind her back as she looked at Sora. "I think they should come up for air."

Xion tilted her head down as she giggled with her eyes closed. They had said hello long enough. "I think she's right."

Roxas gave Sora a dull stare. "I'm surprised that you aren't doing the same thing..."

Sora looked away as he blushed. It's not as if the thought didn't cross his mind. Kairi took a deep breath in as she turned toward the ocean. Even though it was a short time away, she missed the ocean and the salty air. "I'm glad that we're back."

Sora was curious. "How was it?"

Kairi looked back toward the others. "Summer school kept us busy, but it wasn't all bad. We didn't have to have our noses in books the whole time."

Xion's eyes lowered toward the ground as a feeling of guilt came over her. "But we wouldn't had to go if it wasn't for me…" Roxas's eyes lowered as well. It seemed going away was their punishment for what happened between Xion and him.

Kairi smiled for comfort. "I didn't exactly help the situation either..." She glanced over at Sora. Their recent trip didn't help either…

Without words, Sora knew what she meant. Then, he smiled as he let the thought go. "It doesn't matter. What matters is that you guys are here now. We should have fun our last year of school."

Kairi nodded. "Right!" Their enthusiasm brought a smile to Xion's face. Maybe this year would be better. Kairi pointed back toward the road. "Now that we're here, do you guys want to grab something to eat?"

Sora looked over at Roxas. "I could eat! What do you say?"

Roxas shrugged. "Fine with me." Afterwards, Roxas and Xion turned and followed the road that headed toward town.

* * *

All four of them let out a laugh. Outside of a cafe, they sat at a table, underneath an umbrella. Sora turned his head to Kairi beside him. "Maybe we can see each other tomorrow. It can be the four of us again."

Kairi let out an apologetic smile. "I wish we could…, but mom wants us to spend time together before school starts. It doesn't seem like we can get out of it."

Xion looked over toward Roxas with the same smile. "Sorry…"

Sora was little disappointed, but kept his smile on. "I guess next time then…"

Kairi placed her hand on top of his to assure him. They only had to be separated for one more day. "Don't worry. We will soon."

* * *

The next day, Kairi and Xion grinned as they walked toward the edge of the huge, white yacht near the railing. The breeze off of the ocean felt nice as it blew passed them. The crystal-clear water looked beautiful underneath them. The cool weather really did feel nice today. Kairi pointed up toward the sky. "See it?!"

Xion nodded. "Yeah!"

Then, Kairi noticed someone out of the corner of her eye. She turned her head to see Namine sit near the edge of the boat as she started drawing on her notepad. A few seconds later, Namine blinked surprised once she noticed her approach. Kairi stood in front of her. "Hi."

Namine gave a nervous smile and stood up in front of her. "Hi…!" Xion stepped in toward them curious.

Kairi smiled a little toward her. "So…? How was school?"

Namine grabbed onto the edges of her notepad. "It was great. I've learned so much. How was it for you two?"

Kairi glanced at Xion since they went together. "It was fun."

Nearby, Aqua's parents headed toward the girls' parents on the deck. "Our guests should be arriving shortly!" the girls' mother exclaimed with an eager look.

As the girls talked, they noticed another familiar face head toward them. Their happy expressions changed to surprise. Kairi was the first to speak. "Riku? What are you doing here?"

Riku noticed their surprise and became a little surprised himself. "I got invited by your parents. They didn't say anything about it?"

The girls looked at each other. Neither one of them had a clue that he would join them today. Then, Kairi looked at him along with Namine and Xion. "No. I didn't know that we could invite anyone. I thought it was just going to be us."

Uneasy, Riku's and Xion's eyes met. The quieter it got, the more awkward it felt between them. Xion grabbed onto her hands in front of her. "Hey..."

"Hey," Riku greeted her.

Kairi glanced between them. She figured the two needed time to work things out. She turned her head toward Namine. "Namine? Maybe we should see what's going on." Namine glanced at Riku, unsure if he wanted to be left alone. He answered her silent question with a nod. Afterwards, Namine walked away with Kairi and headed toward their parents to find out what was going on. She knew it was something Riku needed to face.

Xion placed her hair behind her ear uneasy. It was hard after everything that happened, but she knew it was the one thing she wanted to fix. Her eyes met his. "I'm sorry... I'm sure I'm the last person you wanted to see. I'm…I'm really sorry about what happened between us. I never meant to hurt anyone. It's just…"

"You really care about him?"

Xion was surprised by his question, but then looked a little uneasy. She wanted to answer him honestly. "Yes... At first, I couldn't remember much in my past, so I thought I could start anew, but then I started remembering before I ended up in the hospital. The two of us knew each other for a year. We were really close. When I had no one else, he watched over me. I owe him a lot for what he did for me. I really cared about him a lot back then too." There was a sincere look to her eyes. "But I still miss when we used to talk to each other. You were my best friend…" She was worried to ask, but she had to know. "Could we…start over… and be friends again?" Uneasy, Riku looked toward the ground. Xion noticed his reaction. "I know…We may never be like we were again, but…I still miss you as my friend."

After he thought about it, Riku lifted his head to her with his final decision in mind. "That's fine."

Xion smiled as she breathed out a sigh of relief. She was grateful that he didn't say no. "Thank you." A small smile appeared on his lips.

Nearby, Kairi peeked to see the two smile at each other. It made her happy and relieved that they were getting along. At the same time, Namine became curious. She wondered if Riku had truly gotten over Xion... Then, Namine and Kairi looked over toward the other side of the boat as they noticed other people come on board. They blinked surprised. "Who…are those guys?" Kairi asked.

Their mother stood up from her chair as the other adults smiled. "We're hosting a party. These boys are on track to graduate this year and we're coming up with ideas to help them with school. I'm sure if you talk to them, they can help you decide on which school to pick. Make them feel welcome." Their mother held out her hands toward the girls as she looked at the boys. "These are my daughters Kairi, Namine, and Xion. Feel free to ask them any questions." Soon, everyone started to greet each other.

Afterwards, their mother sat down beside Aqua's mother. They watched as the girls talked to the boys. Aqua's mother arched her eyebrow. "Any of them catch your eye?"

Their mother looked over toward Aqua's mother serious. "All of them seem smart and very charming. I'm sure they could find someone to get along with."

Aqua's mother frowned as she thought back. "Maybe you'll have better luck than I did. I tried to change Aqua's mind about that boy she liked, but she refused to listen to me. Hopefully, they'll be a chance now that she's away and Terra is nearby. Maybe it won't be too late them." As she closed her eyes, she let out a sigh. "I don't know what it is about that boy's family that has our girls so obsessed with them…" She looked over at the girls' mother. "I know you've experienced it as well. Those boys that hang around Kairi and Xion."

The girls' mother looked away uneasy. "Hmm…"

Then, the two mothers turned their attention to Xion as she talked to some of the guests. Aqua's mother frowned. "You don't want to end up with another accident, do you? Who knows what kind of controversy that would cause?"

The girls' mother breathed out. "No... I can't risk that happening again."

As one of the boys spoke to her, Kairi overheard most of what the women said to each other. She was already suspicious of what was going on, but now, this confirmed what they were up to. "Does that sound okay?"

Kairi blinked surprised as she turned her attention back to the brunette boy in front of her. "What?"

He let out a gentle smile toward her. "Maybe we could spend a little time together and I can help you look for what you want to do."

"Umm…?" Kairi became uneasy with their conversation since she knew what this trip was really about. Then, she noticed Xion as she stood in front of three boy who spoke with her. Xion didn't seem comfortable being in front of a crowd. She had her hand on her arm as she occasionally glanced at the floor. Ahead, Namine sat next to Riku as she talked with him. At least she was able to get away from the crowd. Sweetly, Kairi smiled toward the boy in front of her. "Excuse me for a minute." She slipped through the crowd. She went in beside Xion and placed her hands on her shoulders as she smiled toward the boys in front of her. "Sorry! I'm just going to take her for a little bit." She slipped her hand in hers and led her away inside of the boat.

Once they were alone, Kairi breathed out. It was a relief being out of that crowd. Xion looked a little surprised. "Thanks Kairi."

Kairi smiled toward her. "No problem. You seemed like you really needed to get away."

Uneasy, Xion rubbed her arm. "Yeah."

Kairi glanced back toward the window. "I don't really want to stick around either. Now what should we do?" The two thought for a moment until Kairi spoke, "I have an idea." Xion followed her further in the ship. They went into one of the rooms. Kairi searched around. It was a small room with a window that had a view of the sea and bunkbeds on the side.

Xion realized what she was up to. They could hide until the party was over. "Good idea." Kairi locked the door behind her just in case anyone tried to look for them. Xion crawled up onto the top bunk and sat. Afterwards, she let out a sigh as her eyes traveled down. Kairi looked up at her curious. "What's wrong?"

Slightly, Xion shook her head. "It's nothing…"

Kairi became a little concerned. It seemed like something was on her mind. "What's wrong?"

Xion's eyes traveled toward the side uneasy. "It was just crowded that's all."

"Hmm…" Then, Kairi noticed the way Xion rubbed her hand up and down her arm where a few of her faded scars were. She climbed up the ladder and sat beside Xion. "I think mom was up to something bringing all of those boys on board."

Xion became curious. "What do you mean?"

Kairi frowned, upset. "I think that this was more of a setup to see if we would be interested in someone else rather than school."

A surprised look came on Xion's face. "You're saying that they rather us be with someone else?"

"I overheard Aqua's mom talking to our mom about how she didn't really approve of the person Aqua was with." Kairi glanced toward the floor as she thought back. "Aqua talked about it before, but I didn't think that mom would try…"

Xion was curious as to what she thought. "What?"

"Vanitas has a bad reputation, which explains why her mom doesn't want him around and what happened between you and Roxas…" her voice trailed off. "I knew that she was worried because of what happened, but now… she's worried about me being with Sora."

Xion looked down concerned. She didn't mean to cause trouble for her. "I'm sorry…"

Kairi smiled as best as she could, but inside, she was upset by what her mother was doing. "There's no need to be." She placed her hand to her chest. "Nothing will change the way I feel about him."

Xion smiled at her words. Tired, she lied down on the bed. "I guess we'll hide out here for a while."

Kairi lied down beside her, face to face. "That's fine with me." She placed her hand on Xion's arm, which Xion looked surprised. "And so are your scars, so don't be ashamed of them."

Xion's eyes widened toward her. "How did you know…?"

"I've been around you long enough. You kept rubbing your arm. At first, I thought you were nervous, but then I noticed that you were trying to cover your arm." Uneasy, Xion's eyes traveled down. She didn't think her habits were that noticeable. Kairi smiled to assure her. "They're barely noticeable and they're mostly faded. Even if they weren't, it doesn't matter. You're pretty just the way you are. I'm sure that's the way Roxas sees you too. He doesn't see the scars, only you."

Xion placed her head down as she wondered. Then, her eyes met with Kairi's. "Thanks Kairi." Kairi flashed her a smile. Once thing quieted down, Kairi relaxed her head against the top of Xion's head. Feeling tired as well, she closed her eyes. Both of them fell asleep.

* * *

"Have you seen Kairi and Xion?" Their mother stepped over toward Namine and Riku who gave her a surprised look.

"No. We haven't," Riku answered.

Their mother sighed frustrated. She didn't understand how they could've disappeared. Nearby, the boys searched around, but saw no sign of them. "Would you see if you can find them?"

Namine and Riku glanced at each other. They stood up and started to search along with the others. Then, they searched the inside of the ship again through the hall. "Kairi! Xion!" Riku called.

Namine looked up at him. "They have to be in one of the rooms." She came across a room that was locked. None of the other doors were. She glanced at Riku and then knocked on the door. "Kairi? Xion?" When no one asked, an idea came to mind. "Wait." She went further toward the front of the ship and grabbed a pair of keys that she saw earlier. She came back and unlocked the door. Inside, they saw a blanket piled on the top bunk. Both of them looked confused and curious. "Kairi? Xion?"

Suddenly, they heard a groan. Slowly, Kairi opened her eyes at the call of her name. Below her, she saw Xion asleep with her head against her chest. She shook her a little. "Xion…" The two took the blanket off of them and sat up. Below them, they saw Namine and Riku. Kairi rubbed her eyes. "How did you find us?"

Riku looked over at Namine. "Namine had the idea to use a key."

Namine smiled, a little proud. She placed her hands in front of her. "I see you two decided to skip out on the party."

Xion became a little concerned that their mother would be upset. "Is it over?"

Riku nodded. "Yeah. We already docked."

Kairi smiled a little. At least they were able to avoid most of the party. "I'm sure mom isn't going to be happy…"

* * *

The next day, Roxas and Xion walked along the road beside each other. Xion brushed her hair aside as she stared forward. "If it wasn't for Kairi, I wouldn't have gotten away from that party." She let out a grateful smile. "She really has done a lot for me." When she glanced over, she noticed Roxas stare toward the ground with a serious look on his face. She became curious as to why. "What is it?" When he didn't answer, she stepped in front of him concerned, which made both of them stop. "What's wrong?"

Roxas baled his fist beside his leg. "Would it be better if we didn't…? What if there is someone better?"

Xion's eyes widened in surprised. She could see doubt start to fill him. "Don't say that. That doesn't matter." Xion smiled toward him. At that moment, she was ready to prove how much she cared for him. "I love you Roxas." Uneasy, his eyes traveled down. Instead of giving him hope in their relationship, it only filled him with more doubt. What if there was another reason she decided to be with him? What if she had only convinced herself that she loved him after everything they've been through? Maybe she didn't want to hurt his feelings. Xion leaned down a little to meet his gaze. "You heard me, right? I love you."

Unable to listen, he walked forward with his hands in his pockets, but he still held her words inside of him. "I'll walk you home." Xion stood worried. She didn't understand why he was so closed off…

* * *

 _Thank you for reading! I'll be back to update as soon as I can. The next chapter will be longer._


	15. No Running From The Past Not Anymore

_**Author's Notes:** Thank you for keeping up with the story! I hope you'll like this chapter!_

* * *

 _The Runaways (Roxas, and Xion side of the story)_

 _Chapter 14: No Running From The Past...Not Anymore  
_

The rest of the school year seemed to fly by and soon summer had official arrived. That meant their vacation had arrived as well. As Roxas waited in the lobby of the hotel, he couldn't help but smile. The two they waited for would arrive soon and the plan could get started. Then, a familiar giggle could be heard through the air. Near the door, they could see Kairi walk in with Sora. Sora couldn't help but smile as he watched her. Roxas hoped, for them, that it would be a summer that they would never forget...

Roxas and Xion along with Olette, Pence, Hayner, and Selphie rushed over and greeted them. Kairi was surprised and happy to see them all. She didn't realize that they would be at the hotel as well. After they talked, everyone, but Roxas and Sora, escorted Kairi to the front desk to check in. Roxas stepped in beside Sora. "So? This is it. Are you ready?"

A faint smile appeared on Sora as the same thought crossed his mind like it had all year. "Yeah. I'm ready."

Roxas smirked at him. "Think she'll say yes?"

Sora grinned. "I hope so."

* * *

Later that night, Xion sat near the pool, in one of the beach chairs, when she noticed Kairi walk in. When Kairi looked around, she saw that Hayner, Pence, Olette, and Selphie were in the pool, but noticed that Sora wasn't there and neither was Roxas. An uneasy feeling came over her. Again, Sora disappeared without a clue. "Kairi!"

Kairi let out a smile and sat in the chair beside her. "Xion! You look nice." Nervously, she rubbed her hand over her arm. She wore a blue, two-piece bathing suit with a see-through, thin shirt over. Kairi took notice and smiled to assure her. "Don't worry. No one will notice the scars. Trust me." Xion relaxed and listened. She would take Kairi's word for it. Kairi glanced toward the pool before she looked down. "Hey... Have you seen Sora?" she asked uneasy.

Xion's eyes widened, surprised. She thought she knew. "Yeah. He's with Roxas." Kairi breathed out a little as she leaned back in the chair, disappointed. Xion became curious. "What is it?"

As much as she wanted to keep it to herself and think of it as nothing, it had been bugging her for a while. "Do you think…?" She shook her head. "Never mind…"

Xion leaned in closer to her. "What is it?"

Kairi glanced at Xion before she looked down. "Has… Sora mentioned anything to Roxas about…?"

"What?"

Kairi breathed out. "I feel like…there's something going on with Sora… He's been a little distant lately and…when I ask what's going on, he won't tell me anything. I wondered if he's…not interested in me anymore…" Hearing her say her insecurities out loud worried her more. Was she ready for the answer?

Xion shook her head and smiled toward her. "You don't have anything to worry about. Trust me."

Kairi stared at Xion. She seemed so sure. Maybe it was a silly thing to say. "I guess you're right…"

Xion grinned. "I know I'm right."

Kairi reacted with surprise. It wasn't something Xion usually said, but she seemed so sure. Then, she smiled. She would trust her word. Selphie looked over as she was in the pool with Olette, Hayner, and Pence. "Kairi! Xion! Come on in!"

Kairi smiled toward her. "Coming!" She looked over at Xion. "Let's go."

Xion nodded. "All right."

On the other end of the room, Seifer, Fuu, Vivi, and Raj stepped toward the other, smaller pool. Then, Seifer looked over toward the other end once he heard laughter. Red came to his cheeks as he was stunned. Raj looked at him confused. "What is it?"

Seifer pointed over. "It's her!"

On the other end of the room, Kairi placed the shirt and shorts she had onto the edge of the chair. Out of the corner of her eye, she noticed a shadow cast over her. When she looked up, she saw a blushing Seifer. Sweetly, she smiled. "Oh! Hello?"

From the pool, Hayner spotted Seifer with Raj, Vivi, and Fuu behind him and got upset. He let out a loud groan. "What is Seifer and his gang doing here? Out of all of the places he could have went…"

Nervous, Seifer rubbed the back of his head. "Do you remember me? You came during the struggle tournament."

Kairi looked surprised. "Oh…! Right! You competed in it too."

Xion remembered as well and smiled. "Right! That was the tournament Roxas won."

Kairi smirked toward Xion and nudged her with her elbow. "Roxas got lucky. Sora almost had him."

"No way!" Xion responded. Both of them let out a giggle.

"Anyway…I wanted to ask last time, but do you want to go out on a date with me?" Kairi blinked surprised at Seifer's question.

Nearby, Sora and Roxas stepped into the room. Roxas looked a little concerned. "Are you sure she didn't find the ring in your bag?"

Sora shook his head. "No."

Roxas let out a relieved sigh. "That was a close one."

Sora looked at him. "I didn't think she would go in my bag."

Roxas shook his head slightly. "At least this will be over soon…"

Sora pointed over toward where the group was. "I wouldn't be too sure about that."

Nearby, they spotted Seifer as he held onto Kairi's hand. Kairi gave him an uneasy look. Raj stood in front of Xion as she looked uneasy as well. Roxas sighed frustrated and pinched the bridge of his nose. "Seifer and his gang again? Come on… This is the last thing that we need. Why did they have to be here of all places…?!"

"So? What do ya say Kairi?" Seifer asked in another attempt at a yes.

Kairi slipped her hand out of his. "I'll pass. I already have a boyfriend."

Seifer smirked. "I'm sure he couldn't be as good as me."

"I'm actually better." Everyone turned their attention behind Seifer to see Sora head over with a smile. Roxas followed behind him with a frown.

Kairi gave a look of relief. "Sora."

Sora stepped in beside her and slipped his arm around her waist as he looked serious. "Like she said, she's already taken."

Seifer frowned. "Oh…! It's you two again…"

Sora tilted his head, confused. "Who are you?"

Seifer became upset that he forgot him. "It's me! Seifer! You guys knocked me out of the tournament!"

"Huh?" The name still didn't ring a bell to Sora.

"Come on Sora… Stop kidding around. We knocked Seifer out of the first round, remember?" Roxas said.

Sora slammed his fist into the palm of his hand. "Ohhh…!"

Seifer pointed between both of them. "Hey! It was the semi-finals and don't you forget it!"

Roxas shrugged as Xion stood close to him. "Whatever…"

Seifer looked upset until an idea came to mind. "Then let's have a rematch and let's make it interesting this time."

Roxas frowned. The idea seemed silly. "We don't have anything to fight with."

"Let's do something different. We could use the pool. Earlier, I saw a net and I'm sure we can find a ball." Seifer smirked over at Raj. "Hey! How about we make this a double date?" Everyone was stunned by his wager. "If we win, we get dates with the girls."

Roxas growled as his fists baled at his side. "You can't be serious!"

Sora arched his eyebrow as he frowned. "And what do we get when we win?"

Roxas looked at him surprised. "Huh?" He couldn't believe that Sora was seriously considering this.

"If you win, we'll leave the girls alone, but we're going to win this." Seifer smiled toward Kairi. "After one date with me, you'll forget all about him." Kairi frowned toward him.

Sora looked back toward Roxas. "What do you say? You in?"

Roxas looked determined. "Yeah I'm in."

Sora stepped closer to Seifer as he glared. "And when we win, stay away from Kairi."

Seifer smirked. "See you soon! Losers!"

"We're going to win this! Ya know!" Raj added. Seifer, Raj, Vivi and Fuu walked away.

Kairi turned toward the boys, upset with what happened. "This is silly! We're not some prize to be won." Finally, her eyes landed on Sora who still had his back turned to her. "You don't have to do this. There's no way I'm going out with that guy."

Sora turned his head back as he smiled. "You believe that I can win, right?"

Kairi looked surprised, but then concerned. "Of course I do."

"Then you have nothing to worry about," Sora assured her.

Roxas put his hands on his hips. "I still don't like this, but it sounds like Seifer is trying to get another win because he lost in the tournament."

Sora nodded as he looked serious. "We can handle another win."

Roxas nodded as he smirked. "Right!"

Olette went to the edge of the pool toward them. "I can help judge, so that way I can make sure that Seifer doesn't cheat."

Hayner, Selphie, and Pence got out of the pool. "We'll help them set up and make sure they don't mess with anything," Hayner said.

After things were set up by the others, Seifer and his gang walk back over. "Hey! You losers ready?!" he shouted.

Sora went over to Roxas. "Ready?" Roxas nodded. They jumped into the pool feet first. Everyone else cleared out, so it was just Sora and Roxas on one side of the net and Seifer and Raj on the other. Fuu stood beside Olette on the side. "What are you doing?"

"Referee."

Olette pouted toward her. "I can handle it."

"Even sides. Only fair," Fuu gave the same monotoned reply. Olette frowned, but didn't argue with Fuu.

Seifer smirked toward Sora and Roxas. "Best out of ten. The first team to score wins the game."

Olette tossed the ball to Sora that took the front for their team. "Ready?!"

Kairi and Xion sat on the side, near the stairs with their feet in the pool, concerned. Nervously, Kairi stared out at them. "Good luck…" she whispered.

Nearby, Xion heard her. Uneasy, Xion intertwined her fingers together. "Yeah…"

Olette brought down her hand. "Begin!"

Sora threw the ball up and spiked it. From the other side, Seifer knocked it back with a smirk. The ball went toward Roxas in the back. In time, he managed to hit it. Sora jumped up and hit the ball, causing more speed. Soon, it had hit the water before Seifer and Raj could catch it. "1-0!" Olette called out. Everyone on the sidelines cheered. "The ball goes to the other side."

"Lucky shot!" Seifer frowned and spiked the ball.

The ball bounced off of Sora's wrist and went up into the air. Roxas managed to jump and spiked the ball. It slipped passed Raj and Seifer again. "2-0!" Olette shouted. Another cheer came from the crowd.

Seifer held the ball determined. "We won't let them score again!"

"Right yo!" Raj agreed.

Roxas served the ball. Once it reached the other side, with a yell, Seifer spiked the ball. Sora and Roxas got ready to counter, but then their faces changed to surprise. Everyone else on the side froze as they stared stunned. The ball hit the net before it reached the other side. Olette looked surprised still. "S-Since the ball didn't cross over, the point goes to Sora and Roxas. 3-0." Seifer stood shock. He couldn't believe he made a mistake like that. Then, he snapped out of it to focus on the next round. With another spike of the ball, Sora and Roxas managed to score one more time. "New score 4-0!"

Seifer growled frustrated at Raj. "Get your head in the game! They're beating us!"

"Right ya know!" Seifer spiked the ball, but Sora and Roxas managed to spike it back. Seifer and Raj knocked it again and managed to hit the water between Sora and Roxas. Sora and Roxas looked at each other surprised that they managed to get pass.

Fuu held out her hand. "New score. 4-1." Seifer and Raj gave each other a high five.

Sora looked back toward Roxas and gave him a thumbs up. "Don't worry! We're still good."

Two more rounds had passed. Seifer and Raj managed to score, making it 4-3. Soon, Sora and Roxas countered to make the score 5-3. Olette smiled. "Sora and Roxas are the first to make five. Now both teams can take a break."

Seifer and Raj hopped out of the pool and Fuu and Vivi made their way over to them. Sora and Roxas went over to Kairi and Xion. After each side talked with each other for a few minutes, Fuu and Olette came back to the center. Fuu held out her arm. "Break over."

Olette grinned. "Whoever gets to ten is the winner! And… go!"

The game continued. Fuu threw the ball to Seifer. Seifer let out a smirk before he spiked the ball. The ball was tossed back and forth a few times until it splashed near Sora's side. The first to score was Seifer and Raj. "5-4," Fuu announced.

Seifer and Raj came at them stronger than before. A minute later, they scored again. "5-5," Fuu announced again.

Seifer served again. Right away, Sora and Roxas lunged for the ball, but it slipped passed them. The score for Seifer and Raj kept going up. Fuu pointed toward Seifer and Raj. "5-6."

Seifer spiked the ball and hit the water passed Sora and Roxas once more. Fuu pointed toward them again. "5-7."

Raj spiked the ball and managed to hit the left side, causing Sora and Roxas to miss. "5-8."

Everyone rooting for Sora and Roxas on the sidelines started to get worried. It seemed Seifer and Raj had the upper hand and Sora and Roxas were on the verge of losing. Roxas splashed the water frustrated. It seemed like no matter what, they couldn't score on them. Sora looked a little worried and then looked over toward Olette. "Time out."

Seifer smirked as he pointed toward them. "Awe! Calling it quits already? Fine then. Nothing's going to change for you losers!"

Roxas growled frustrated as he pressed his teeth together. Sora placed his hand on Roxas's shoulder. "Come here." They went toward the edge of the pool. Sora gave a serious look. "Calm down."

Roxas glared toward him. "They're beating us! Two more shots and then they'll win!" Sora's eyes traveled down. It seemed they were in a hard situation. Roxas glanced over toward Xion who seemed worried. He didn't want her to go on a date with someone else. Then, his eyes traveled down. "I shouldn't have let you talk me into this…" he whispered between them.

"Hey!" Roxas lifted his head. There was determined look on Sora's face. "If we trust each other, we'll win. I have an idea how to turn this game around."

As they spoke, Kairi leaned over with her elbows against her knees worried as Xion looked over worried as well. "What are they going to do? Two more shots and-."

Kairi remembered what Sora told her earlier. She became determined. "No! We're not going to think like that." Sora looked over toward her. Their eyes met from across the pool, both reading the other's mind. "Sora told me to trust him, so that's what I'm going to do. I believe he and Roxas will put out a win."

Xion watched her reaction. It made most of her worry go away. Xion nodded and looked at them. "I'll do the same."

Roxas stared at Sora confused. "That's your big plan? Just switch places?"

Sora smiled. "Yeah."

"Why would that work any better?" Roxas asked, skeptical.

"I can move faster in the water and you have more power behind your hits. I think if we switch it up, we might be able to win." Roxas looked a little concerned, but all he saw was Sora's smile. Roxas still wasn't sure about this plan. Sora placed his hand on his shoulder. "Don't worry! I got your back." Roxas had no choice but to trust that Sora knew what he was doing. The two turned back forward.

Seifer smirked toward them. "You finally ready to lose this game?"

Sora looked determined. "We're not going to lose!"

Roxas swam out front, which surprised Seifer and Raj. "Hey! What are you guys doing ya know?"

Roxas frowned toward them. "There's no rule against switching. You got a problem with that?"

Seifer smirked. "Whatever! We'll take you down either way."

Xion looked surprised along with Kairi. "What's going on? They've switched."

Kairi wasn't sure what Sora was thinking, but she trusted his judgement. "Sora must have some kind of plan."

Sora tossed the ball toward Roxas. Roxas spiked the ball forward. It went back and forth between the four. Sora hit the ball and Roxas knocked it forward, adding more power to his hit. It splashed in front of Seifer which he closed his eyes tight. Everyone let out a smile. Sora and Roxas managed to score. Olette cheered. "That's a score of 6-8!" Roxas looked back toward Sora surprised. Sora smiled as he winked and gave a thumbs up.

Seifer growled. "Lucky shot…" They went another round again. Sora managed to hit the ball before it hit the water. Once it was in front of Roxas, he knocked the ball to the other side. Seifer and Raj countered back. Roxas let out a yell as he hit as hard as he could. He hit the water toward the edge of the pool. Seifer looked over upset. "Hey! That shouldn't count!"

Olette frowned. "It was still in bound of the pool. If it would have hit the floor, it wouldn't count. That counts. Fuu?"

Fuu nodded. "Agreed."

Olette was glad that she did. "The new score is 7-8."

Everyone breathed out a sigh of relief except for Seifer who looked upset. "Fine! Bring it on!" Seifer hit the ball as hard as he could, which caused Roxas to rush forward. He tried to hit the ball, but he missed and the ball hit the water.

"7-9," Fuu called. Seifer, Raj, and Vivi cheered.

Uneasy, Roxas and Sora glanced at each other. "Focus! Don't let them get to you," Sora assured him.

Kairi stared forward uneasy as her nails went toward her lips. "Only one point left for them to score…"

Sora caught the ball and looked down. Then, he looked at Roxas. Roxas nodded toward him, determined. They trusted each other. That was what mattered. Sora spiked the ball. Seifer and Raj countered. Working together, Sora and Roxas hit the ball and it landed on the water beside Seifer and Raj. Olette smiled, hopeful. "The new score is 8-9."

Seifer brushed it off. "All we have to do is get one more point and we win."

Another round went. Sora and Roxas managed to score another goal. The crowd let out a cheer. "The new score is tied 9-9!" Olette announced.

Kairi looked at Sora, anxious. _"This is it! This decides the winner! You can do it Sora! Roxas!"_

Sora and Roxas looked determined and focus. They were set on winning this. Seifer spiked the ball. Sora and Roxas countered. Afterwards, Seifer and Raj hit back hard. Roxas held up his hand. The ball touched the tips of his fingers. His eyes widened. He had missed his chance to strike back. _"Oh no…"_ He didn't want to make them lose this, but it was too late.

"Got it!" Sora moved toward the side and hit the ball. "Roxas!"

"Got it!" Roxas jumped up and hit the ball as hard as he could. The ball slipped through Seifer's finger.

"Got it ya know!" Raj hit the ball. Seifer hit the ball over the net.

Determined, Sora hit the ball. This time, he put all of his faith in Roxas. "You got this?!"

"Yeah!" Roxas hit the ball as hard as he could and managed to hit the water beside Seifer and Raj.

Everyone interrupted into cheers. Olette held up her hand. "10-9! Sora and Roxas win!"

Kairi and Xion breathed a sigh of relief. It was finally over. Seifer couldn't believe it. He stood stunned. The last few moments played over and over in his head. Roxas stood stunned as well. Together, they had actually won. Suddenly, he felt an arm wrap around his shoulder. He looked over to see a grinning Sora. "I told you that we could do it!"

Even Roxas had to let out a smile at him being right. "You were right."

Seifer looked upset as he pointed. "Hey! One more game!"

Sora grinned toward him. "No thanks. One is enough."

Seifer growled and got out of the pool along with Raj. Afterwards, they along with Vivi, and Fuu left. Everyone else surrounded Sora and Roxas. "You really showed them!" Hayner said.

"Yeah!" Pence agreed.

Soon after, everyone jumped back into the pool. On the side, Roxas sat in one of the chairs as Xion lied on her side next to him. She leaned against his chest. Across the way, he noticed Sora and Kairi near the corner, grinning toward each other. "That really was a close one."

Roxas snapped out of his thoughts and looked over at Xion. "There was no way that we were going to let those guys win."

Xion smiled a little. She was glad things worked out. "I know." Roxas's eyes traveled down as he thought. He sat up, which she looked surprised. "Roxas…?"

"I'll be back." He stood up and walked away. Xion watched concerned as he disappeared out of sight. He seemed distant again...

Out of the corner of Sora's eyes, he noticed that Xion sat alone as she looked down concerned and then noticed that Roxas was missing. Kairi noticed as well. They went over concerned. "Where did Roxas go?" Kairi asked.

"I'm not sure. He just walked off," Xion answered.

Sora looked over concerned toward Kairi. "I'll go check on him."

Kairi nodded. Sora headed out of pool area. Meanwhile, Kairi sat next to Xion. "Are you okay?"

"Roxas has been distant a lot. I'm not sure why."

"Hmm…" It seemed like they were in similar situations.

Outside of the hotel, Roxas stared up toward the night sky. The quiet was calming. "What's on your mind?"

Surprised, he snapped out of his thoughts and turned his head to see Sora stop in beside him with a smile. "Sora? What are you doing out here?"

"Xion was worried about you, so I came to check on you." Sora looked up toward the night sky. "This isn't the first time that she's been worried about you. You haven't been telling her what's on your mind." Sora gave a gentle smile. "You're not alone. You have people that you can count on."

Roxas stared at him stunned as he breathed in. Then, he looked down. Things turned silent between them until Roxas spoke, "Thanks for today."

Sora looked over surprised. "Huh?"

Roxas gave him a sincere look. "If it wasn't for you, we wouldn't have won against Seifer. I thought that I had messed up when that ball slipped through my fingers, but you were right there. We could've lost because of me."

Sora grinned. "Oh! That? I wasn't worried."

Roxas looked surprised. "But what if we would've lost?!"

"There's no way we would have," Sora said.

"But what if-?"

"There's _no_ way we would lose..."

Roxas froze. The smile Sora gave seemed a little scary along with the darker tone of his voice. He wasn't going to think about that possibility. "There was also no way you would have let him go out with Kairi even if he did win…"

"Nope!" he said with a smile.

Roxas laughed a little as he shook his head. Afterwards, he relaxed. "Thanks for believing that I could do it." His eyes traveled toward the side as he thought. "You've been trying to help me since I've moved in with you. Sorry if I've been a pain."

Sora grinned. "It doesn't matter. You're my little brother. That's how it will always stay."

Roxas let out a smile. It was hard for him to let anyone in, but now, it felt good to. "Thanks Sora. I'll talk to Xion. Now you can tell Kairi what's going on too."

Sora looked down as he thought. "Yeah..."

Roxas placed his hand on Sora's shoulder. "Don't worry. It will be all right."

Sora smiled over at him. "I know it will."

They headed toward the door. Sora pulled on the handle, but realized it was locked. Roxas looked over at him. "You do have the key, don't you?"

Sora rubbed the back of his head as he laughed nervously. "Umm…?"

Roxas gave him a dull stare. "You forgot the key, didn't you...?"

"Well the girls were worried, so I wasn't thinking about that…?" Nervously, he laughed again.

Roxas sighed and they started walking. "Let's just go to the front. Hopefully we don't get locked out of anywhere else…

* * *

Later that night, everyone had gone down to the beach near the water. There was a fire in the center as a few chairs surrounded it. Further up on the sidewalk, Sora and Roxas stopped at the top of the stairs near the rails. Down below, they saw the others running around in the water and splashing. Sora let out a gentle smile as he watched Kairi have fun with the others. Roxas looked over at him. "Ready?"

Sora smiled as he nodded toward him. "Let's go." They headed down the stairs. Out of the corner of her eye, Kairi noticed them come down. She left from near the ocean and met with Sora part way. He stopped in front of her. "Sorry I'm late."

She placed her hands behind her back. "It's okay."

Roxas and Xion smiled as they watched the two interact. It seemed that everything was working out. Minutes later, fireworks started to explode in the sky, which caused everyone to stop. Everyone stared up in amazement. Then, Sora looked back toward the others that sat near the fire and nodded toward them. The others saw his nod and stood up. They left from around the fire and went up the stairs, to the sidewalk, to watch what would happen next. They couldn't heard what Sora and Kairi were saying, but they watched the way they reacted. Kairi glanced back and noticed that they were gone. They saw the surprised look on her face before she turned her attention to Sora who kneeled down in front of her. They leaned against the rail as they grinned at her reactions. Eventually, they saw Kairi tackle Sora to the ground near the water. They took it as a good sign that things went well. They went down to them in excitement. Right away, Selphie grabbed onto Kairi's hand as she stared at her new ring. "It's so pretty!"

Olette stood in beside her as she stared down. "Congratulations!" Sora felt Roxas nudge him as he smiled. Sora smiled back. His plan really had worked out after all.

* * *

Late into the night, Xion woke out of her sleep as she let out a small groan. When she glanced at the clock, she realized that she had only been asleep for almost an hour. She didn't understand why she woke up now when there was still the rest of the night to go. When she looked over, on the other side of her, she noticed that Roxas was still awake. His hands were behind his head as he stared up at the ceiling. He seemed lost in thought. Curious, she sat up on her elbow. "Roxas…?"

Roxas snapped out of his thoughts and turned his head toward the side. When he saw that Xion was still awake, he became surprised. "Xion? What are you still doing up?"

"I could ask you that," she replied curious.

His eyes traveled toward to the side. "Hmm…"

At that moment, Xion could tell that something was on his mind that weighed on him heavily. "What is it?"

He stared back up at the ceiling as he looked serious. "I'm sorry… if I've been distant lately. I've…just been thinking a lot."

Uneasy, Xion's eyes traveled along the bed. It was something that weighed on her too. She couldn't understand what was going on with him. "You've been distant for a while now, even when I told you…" Her eyes lifted up to him. "…I love you."

Roxas gave a look of disappointment. "I'm sorry…"

She leaned forward toward him. "Whatever is on your mind, I want to know." As he sat up, he held his head down. There was a lot that he wanted to say, but the words wouldn't leave him. Xion gave him a smile of comfort. "Here." She opened her arms toward him.

Roxas leaned his back against her chest as he tilted his head down. "I don't know… After everything we've been through, I thought that I messed things up for you. That maybe we shouldn't be…"

She leaned her head on top of his. "That's not true. Everything that we've been through has only made us stronger," she assured him.

Roxas's eyes traveled toward the side unsure. "I wonder sometimes…"

Xion looked curious. "Is that what you were thinking about tonight when you left the pool?"

"That…and…" He lifted his head as he thought about tonight. "I'm really happy for Sora. He's loved Kairi for as long as I've known him. I'm just glad that I was able to help him tonight." His eyes lowered. "I owed him that much."

Xion felt that he was being too hard on himself. "He's your brother. I'm sure he doesn't feel that way."

He looked back toward her. "He might not, but I do." Then, he remembered when Sora and him first met. He didn't exactly give him the warmest welcome. "When I first came to the island, he tried to get close to me, but I wouldn't let him. I didn't even know I had a brother. It wasn't until…"

She became very curious. "Until what…?"

"Hmm…" He debated about telling her the past. Something he never told anyone else. "In the past, I…"

Xion noticed that it was difficult for him to talk about what was on his mind. She reflected on her past and thought of what to say to help him. "It was hard for me…moving to the island."

Interested, he turned his head toward her. "What do you mean?"

Her eyes lowered. The memories were bittersweet. "Before I came to the island, it was just me and my mom."

A surprised look came on his face. He hadn't heard her talk much about her mom before. "Your mom?"

Xion nodded a few times. "Yeah…I never knew my dad. I couldn't remember what he looked like, but he died when I was really young."

He gave her an apologetic look. "Sorry…"

Xion shook her head and smiled a little toward him. "Even though it was just me and my mom, I was happy. All we had was each other." Then, a sad look came to her face as she stared toward the blankets. "One day, she was ill… and she ended up in the hospital. Every day, she just kept getting worse. Eventually, she…" Her eyes lowered to a close. "She didn't get any better and I was left all alone..." Roxas was stunned to hear that. Ever since they met, she was alone. "After that, I was sent to home after home. Eventually, I got tired of it. When I was supposed to go to a family on the island, I ran away. On the streets, I didn't know what I would do. That was when I ran into the organization." Gently, she smiled toward him. "And I met you and then I met Kairi and everything just came together." She grinned. "But you already knew most of that." Then, her arms wrapped around him. "I'm happy that I'm with you guys. That won't ever change." Xion leaned her head against the back of his head as she closed her eyes. "I don't want you to ever doubt that." Afterwards, she sat up straight. "Let's sleep. We're meeting the others early tomorrow."

Before she moved, she heard him speak, "The same thing happened to me..." Surprised, she froze. She turned her attention toward him. He didn't lift his eyes to look up at her. "Before I moved to the island…it was just me and my mom too."

Maybe now he would open up to her. "Your mother…?"

Uneasy, he nodded. "Yeah…"

A curious look appeared on her face. "What was she like…your mother?"

He stared down as he thought back. Instantly, a faint smile appeared. "She was really…kind, caring, and…beautiful…"

It sounded as if he remembered his mother fondly. She let out a smile as well. "I wished that I could've met her."

His lips curved up more. "I wish you could have met her too." Then, his eyes widened as he remembered something. "Oh!" He reached over to his wallet on the nightstand and opened it. "I still have a picture of her."

Xion leaned more toward him. She really wanted to know what she looked like. She stared at the small picture that he held in his hand. There, she saw a woman with blonde, shoulder length hair and big blue eyes. Afterwards, she turned her head to him. It was difficult to ask, but she had to know. "Why don't you…ever talk about her?" Uncomfortable, his eyes traveled toward the side. He sat up from her as his eyes stayed glued to the bed. Xion worried that he would shut her out again. "Roxas… you can talk to me. What is it?" She pressed her fist against her chest. "You've been distant for so long… even…when we first met. Whatever is bothering you, I want to know."

Slightly, he shook his head. "You can't…undo the past…"

"…I know I can't, but…I'm here now and I want to be there for you and for whatever you want to say…" Xion turned her body to lie down on the bed. It was hard. Maybe he would never let her in completely...

Before she did, her eyes widened when she heard him speak, "Back then... I was happy with just her, but maybe…maybe I wasn't enough to make her happy." Roxas bent his leg as he put his arm on top of his knee. He glanced back to see Xion intently listening. He breathed out as he put his head down. It was too much...

Xion placed her hand on top of his shoulder. "It's okay." She sat in front of him as she looked concerned. "I'm sure that's not true." His eyes lifted up to her and then lowered as he sighed. She tilted her head a little so that their eyes could meet. "Please... Tell me." He looked toward the side as he debated. "I understand…Whatever it is, it sounds painful."

Roxas closed his eyes. As he looked down, he thought back. "It was. It still is… Back then, I didn't know who my dad was. My mom said I met him before, but I couldn't remember what he looked like. To me, it didn't matter because I was happy when it was just me and her." A smile appeared on his lips as he thought back. "I still remember what our old house used to smell like. My mom always liked to bake. The main thing she liked to make was cookies. It seemed like we never ran out." Xion let out a grin. "Back when I was little, she was with me all the time. Even when she had to work, she still made time."

The smile soon disappeared. "It wasn't until a few years later that…my dad showed up." He could still remember the day he opened the door and saw the face of his father. "One day, he just showed up out of nowhere. My mother was so happy to see him, but I wasn't sure if I was. This was the first time I actually met him. After he showed up, I saw this change in my mom. She seemed really happy that he was there. I didn't want to stand in the way of that. Eventually, he convinced me too." He could still remember the way his father rubbed his hair and how he found a way to get along with him. His face grew serious. "He stayed for a while, but then suddenly, he left without saying anything." Xion noticed his fingers curl and tense in his lap. "That devasted my mom. After that, she wasn't the same. She was sad all of the time. I tried my best to cheer her up. Eventually, she did and she was herself again. A few years after, he showed up again. I was angry that he left her the first time. Of course, he apologized and she believed him. I tried to tell her not to, but she couldn't help it. She listened to everything he told her. He pretended to be my dad too." He put his hand to his head as he breathed out and closed his eyes. "And I fell for it again… I was such an idiot!"

Xion looked sympathetic. "No you weren't! You wanted your mom to be happy. Anyone would."

"I thought it was the best thing for her, but…" He shook his head. "I was wrong! He just ended up leaving her again."

She looked down concerned. "It must've really hurt her..."

He could still remember the depressing look in her eyes clearly. "Yeah…it did. It was a sadness that she couldn't come out of…"

Xion was afraid to ask, but she had to know. "What…happened to her after that…?"

Grief filled his expression. "I tried what I could to make her happy again and for a short time, I thought she snapped out of it." He could still remember the smile she gave and how she told him that she was fine. He shook his head. "But I was wrong! She…"

Anxious, Xion leaned closer toward him. "What? What happened to her?" She could see it in his eyes that he was zoned out into his memories. "Roxas…?"

He lifted his eyes to her. "I came home one day and…I found her…on the floor. There was…blood…" his voice faded into a whisper. Her eyes widened, worried. It scared her to ask. "She felt…cold. I thought that…maybe someone had hurt her until…I found a note." He closed his eyes tight and pressed down on his teeth as the memory overwhelmed him emotionally. "She…"

Suddenly, he felt a pair of arms wrap around him. Xion embraced him as tight as she could. "You don't have to say it. It's all right."

His head leaned against her shoulder. A tear slipped from his closed eye. "If only I stayed with her…I…I couldn't stop it. I couldn't save her…"

Xion placed her hand on the back of head and buried his face further into her shoulder. "It's not your fault. You didn't know."

"But I wasn't enough for her to stay…" he whispered.

"She loved you. Don't ever forget that. I'm sure it was hard for her, but I'm sure she knew you had other family that could care for you. She didn't leave you alone before, so she wouldn't after." It wasn't long before Xion could feel her shoulder getting wet. She was relieved that he was finally letting his emotions free. Her hand rubbed against the back of his hair.

Within a few minutes, he was able to calm down. "After that… he showed up again…" Xion looked surprised. Roxas parted from her as he stared down. "After she was taken away, they had me go with him. I hated him for what he had done. Soon, he took me to the island. That night was when I first met Sora. My dad had taken me to where Sora and his mother lived. Of course when we showed up on her doorstep, she wasn't happy to see either one of us. Turns out, she didn't know about me at all. Most of the night, the two of them were constantly arguing, but Sora, he was a different story. Without question, he just accepted me." He could still remember Sora coming up to him that night and introducing himself. "He was nice to me, but after losing my mom, I just wasn't in the mood to be a family. Dad ended up staying a few days and my new stepmom reluctantly decided to let me stay. After he saw that, he disappeared once again. I was angry and so was my stepmom. After that, I just left. I didn't expect anyone to come after me, but he did..."

 _Roxas stopped by the edge of town near the ocean. Anger raged within him. He didn't want to be there, but what choice did he have now? His mother was gone. He had nothing else left. He stared out at the island in the distance. "Roxas!" Roxas looked back as he watched Sora catch up with him. "Hey!"_

 _Roxas glared toward him. "What do you want?" he replied coldly._

 _Sora looked a little uneasy, but then let out another smile. He turned toward the ocean. "I think you'll like it here."_

 _Roxas gave a skeptical look. "Yeah right..."_

 _Sora looked more excited. "There are a lot of people that you can meet here like Riku! He's my best friend and then there's Kairi! She's my best friend too! There's also Namine, Selphie, Wakka, Tidus…"_

"He just kept going. He just wanted me to feel welcome, but all I wanted to do was go home and get as far away from them as possible. It wasn't long before I joined the organization." With a sincere look, his eyes met her. "And that's when I met you."

"I'm glad…" she replied with a gentle smile.

"Sora and Ventus welcomed me with open arms, but Vanitas wasn't happy. He called me another one of dad's bastards and said there were probably more of us. I guess he doesn't hate me as much now…"

Xion grinned. "See… No matter who you were, your brothers care about you."

"Still…" He closed his eyes. "No matter what, I couldn't save my mom. I almost couldn't save you."

"I think… I understand now." Roxas looked at her a little surprised. She looked toward the side as she thought back. "Back when we were first in the organization, you didn't talk much about yourself. Also, you seemed pretty hard on yourself over what happened to me." Her eyes drifted down concerned. "And that day... in the hideout...where you almost..." More than anything, she wanted to forget the memory of what he tried to do. He almost followed a familiar path to his mother's. She turned her head back to him. "I'm glad you told me." Roxas's eyes traveled down. He was unsure about telling her since it wouldn't change the past. It was something he would carry with him the rest of his life.

Xion let out a gentle smile. She felt she knew what to say to him now. Her fingers grabbed onto his. "It's time to forgive yourself." Roxas's eyes widened. "You really shouldn't be so hard on yourself. You never know what will happen next and you can't always be there, but you can try your best. That's all anyone can ask for." He held his head down. It still felt like he should, so he could protect the ones he cared for most. "Your mom wouldn't want you to blame yourself and I was never upset with you when Larxene attacked because you didn't know. It's time to let it go. Also…I think that you should tell Sora about what happened." He stared at her surprised. "He's your brother and I'm sure he'll understand. He just wants to get to know you like I do." She smiled more. "If you think you're alone, you're not. Sora and Ventus are your brothers and they love you and I'm sure that, in his own way, Vanitas loves you too, even if he never shows it. Hayner, Pence, Olette, and Axel are your best friends and they care about you. Kairi cares about you too. She's going to be your sister soon. Most of all, I care about you too. No matter what happens in the future, I'm glad I met you." She gave a heartful smile. "I love you." Hearing those words made his breath shortened. She grabbed on tighter to his hands. "It's time that we both let go of the past and move on."

Roxas's eyes traveled down as he thought about her words. Then, he leaned forward as he closed his eyes tight. He could feel water roll down his cheek once more. "Xion…thank you…" he whispered. She embraced him tighter. She believed that he had taken her advice. The smile increased on her lips as a tear slipped from her eyes.

Later that night, Xion brushed the back of his hair as his head rested against her chest, asleep. He breathed softly against her. A smile appeared one more time. He had finally opened up to her and it seemed that they were on a path toward the future instead of dwelling on the past...

* * *

 _Thank you for reading! I'll be back to update soon! Only a few more chapters to go before this is done!_

 _As the last part was a sensitive subject as throughout the story, if you are ever feeling down, please reach out to someone. Please... There will always be someone there to listen. Always._


	16. Love

_**Author's Notes:** Thank you for keeping up with the story! I hope you'll like the next chapter! _

**_Warning + Sort of spoiler alert for this chapter:_** _Things get graphic in this chapter so for anyone who doesn't want to read anything sexual, I've section it off like this: At the beginning I will put "xxx" and at the end you're see a line across the page. I know not everyone wants to read the graphic parts so I've made it a little easier to skip._

* * *

 _The Runaways (Roxas and Xion Side of the Story)_

 _Chapter 15: Love:  
_

Sora and Kairi headed to the front door of the hotel where Hayner, Pence, Olette, and Selphie waited for them. When Sora looked around, he was surprised. He noticed that there were two missing. "Where are Roxas and Xion?"

"Roxas sent us a message this morning that him and Xion were going to sleep in," Pence explained.

Hayner frowned with his arms crossed. "He could've at least said goodbye, even if it wasn't face to face…" Olette let out a giggle in response.

After everyone said their goodbyes, Sora and Kairi watched as they headed out of the door. Then, they gave each other a curious look. "They're still going to join us for breakfast, right? There's not a lot time left."

"Let's go check," Kairi suggested.

XXX

"A-Ah…" Xion tilted her head back against the wall as she closed her eyes. Above her, she could hear the water from the showerhead rain down to the floor. The feeling of pleasure overwhelmed her body. The sounds that escaped from her lips became slightly audible. Her legs began to lose strength. She placed her hands on top of the blonde spiked hair below her. "W-W-Wait-! Wait…"

Once he heard her request, Roxas stopped and lifted himself from the floor. A slight smile came to his lips as he watched her. His arms wrapped around her waist. He could still hear her pant and shake slightly against him. "What is it?"

Her face was still flushed with red. "We're supposed to meet the others."

Roxas pulled her in close and pressed his forehead against hers. "I told everyone we were sleeping in. Don't you want to have some time with just us?"

Nervously, Xion smiled. "I do…It's just…" All of a sudden, she felt her body twitch. While her mind tried to think, the lower half of her body still throbbed. Between her thighs, she still ached for him to continue. "…I'm kind of hungry and if we don't leave soon, we'll miss it."

"Oh come on! How often do we have the place to ourselves?" Silently, her eyes traveled to the side. He did bring up a good point. A smile curved a little at his lips, slightly disappointed, but it didn't mean he couldn't take advantage of the little bit of time they had now. He guided her legs off of the floor and placed them on the sides of his waists. She felt her back pressed against the wall as her arms wrapped around his neck. A smirk curved at his lips. "If you're that hungry, then we better hurry." He pushed his hips upwards. A moan escaped from her lips. She could feel him inside of her completely. He breathed out as he closed his eyes. Inside, he could feel her wet, tightening walls. He thrusted deeper. Her fingers dug into his shoulders as she pushed the back of her heels into his back. The thought of time disappeared from her mind.

* * *

Suddenly, Roxas's phone rung from the other room. Xion opened her eyes as she thought she heard something. "What was that?"

"What was what?" he asked through his heavy breaths.

When she listened again, she thought she heard the noise in the next room. "Maybe I should check it out."

A growl became caught in his throat. "Just ignore it."

A minute later, they heard Xion's phone ring as well. "It could be important." Nervously, she smiled to assure him. "I'll only be a second." Roxas placed his head down in the middle of her chest as he sighed. As much as he didn't want to let her go, he reluctantly put her down to where her feet touched the floor. Xion peeked out of the bathroom door. Then, she heard a knock. "Who is it?!" she shouted across the room.

"It's Sora and Kairi! Are you guys going down with us?! It's getting kind of late!" Sora spoke through the door.

"Be out in a second!" Xion leaned in toward the bathroom. "We have to go now."

Roxas sighed. "Do we have to?"

Xion let out a pleading smile. "We don't have a lot of time to eat before they close downstairs."

There was something he rather do more than have breakfast, but he couldn't deny her request. "Fine… Later. Okay?"

Xion gave him a quick nod before she rushed into the room and put on a dress from her bag. After she was covered, she went to the door. Slightly, she opened it. "Hi!"

Kairi let out a smile as she put her hands behind her back. "Good morning Xion."

Sora smirked as he put his hands on his hips. He caught them now. "I knew it…! You guys weren't really sleeping in, were you?"

Nervously, Xion smiled. "No…We were just getting ready. Sorry we're running late."

Sora smirked as he peeked in the door. "Is Roxas holding you up?"

Xion glanced toward the side. "Um…?"

When Kairi looked down, she noticed something off about Xion. "Um… Xion? Your dress is on backwards."

Xion looked down at herself as well and realized that Kairi was right. Nervously, she laughed. "Oh! I almost didn't notice."

Then, in his eye sight, Sora noticed Roxas step out of the bathroom with a towel wrapped around his waist. Sora smirked. "Morning Roxas!"

Roxas glared toward him. Xion noticed and then smiled nervously toward them. "Sorry…Give us a minute." She closed the door to give them privacy.

Sora crossed his arms as he smirked. "So both of them were awake this whole time! I knew it! So why didn't they answer?"

Kairi put her fingers to her lips as she thought about it. "Maybe…they were busy."

Sora looked surprised and curious. "Busy with what?"

If Kairi was right in her guess, it was better not to press on it much further. "I probably wouldn't ask when they come out…"

A few minutes later, Roxas and Xion stepped outside dressed and ready to go. Sora pointed toward them as he gave a sly smirk. "So? If you guys weren't sleeping, then how come you didn't say goodbye to Hayner and the others, and why were you so late getting ready?"

Nervously, Xion looked to the side as a slight blush came on her face. Roxas frowned toward him. "None of your business."

Sora pouted. "You're more grumpy than usual…"

Kairi breathed out. She hoped that Sora would listen to her and not ask questions… "No more questions. Let's go eat." As Sora and Kairi walked ahead, Xion and Roxas followed behind.

Xion smiled a little toward Roxas. She could tell he was disappointed. "Sorry about earlier..."

"It's all right." There was no use getting upset. Roxas knew they would have time to spend with each other later on their trip.

Xion glanced between the ground and him. "You should tell Sora the same thing you told me…" As soon as she said it, she saw his look of unease. She knew that he was hesitant on letting another person in on his past, but she believed that it would help him. "This is your chance to be close." Roxas's eyes traveled down. What happened to him was very personal and still painful. He wasn't sure if he was ready yet. Then, he felt Xion's hand in his own. When their eyes met, Xion gave him a supportive smile. Whatever he decided to do, she would be with him.

Later, all four of them sat around the table. After they finished eating breakfast, they relaxed. Xion leaned over toward Roxas's ear. Sora took noticed and pointed toward them. "So? What are you two whispering about?"

Roxas glanced toward the table before he gave a serious look toward Sora. "Do you mind if… we step outside?"

Sora looked surprised. From the tone of his voice, it sounded important. "Um…? Sure." Both of them stood up from the table.

Kairi watched them concerned. "It sounds serious."

Roxas took a second to think before he looked over at Kairi. "You and Xion should come too." Kairi blinked surprised along with Xion. Xion didn't think he would let Kairi in on what he was going to tell Sora. Both of them stood up from their chairs. As they walked, Sora went beside Roxas as he stared at him curious, but Roxas wouldn't look over. He kept his hands tense in his pockets.

Kairi watched how the two interacted and then turned her attention to Xion. "Is something wrong? Was it something that Sora said? I'm sorry if-," she whispered.

Xion shook her head. "No. It's something that Roxas has been holding inside of him for the longest time. Something in his past. It explains a lot about him since we first met. I told him that he should tell Sora. I think he wants to be closer to Sora since Sora has been so kind to him."

Kairi became concerned. "What is it?"

Xion's eyes lowered. "It's not my place to say. It was hard enough for him to say the first time." As Kairi stared at her, she wondered what Roxas was about to reveal...

* * *

Near the beach, Roxas sat in between Sora and Kairi as Xion sat beside Kairi on the ground. Their legs were between the openings of the railing and their arms were on top of the rail. Sora and Kairi stared at Roxas shocked as Roxas kept his eyes down. The secret Roxas told them was a lot to register. Once Sora calmed down, he turned his head toward the ocean. "I…I had no idea…I'm sorry."

Kairi reached over and held Roxas's hand with both of hers as she gave him a sympathetic look. "Neither did I…"

Roxas turned his head to Sora. "The first time we met, I know you were trying to make it feel like home, but that's why I couldn't feel the same."

Sora's eyes traveled toward the side. "Back then… I thought you hated me."

Roxas shook his head. "It wasn't you. I was so angry with dad and I wasn't ready to accept my new life, but because of you, you helped me make new friends." Sora let out a smile. He was happy that he helped Roxas in some way.

"I'm sorry. I know it must've been hard. Before I came to the island, I just had my grandmother." Kairi looked around at all of them and smiled. "Now I have you guys."

Roxas smiled a little toward Sora. "Thank Xion. She told me that I should tell you."

Sora tilted his head to look at Xion and gave her a gentle smile. "I'm glad she did." Kairi nodded. After things became silent, all of them stared out toward the ocean. Then, an idea popped into Sora's mind. "Since we're all here, I could get us ice cream."

Xion nodded. It was a good idea. "We could get sea-salt."

Roxas and Kairi nodded in agreement. Sora stood up and stretched. "I'll be right back."

Xion stood up after. "I'll go with you." At first, Sora was surprised that she volunteered, but then smiled. It was nice that they could spend time together. Both of them headed toward the ice cream cart. At the stand, Sora juggled the four sea-salt ice cream popsicles. Xion giggled. "I could grab some of those you know." Xion reached over and took two from his hand.

Sora was relieved that none of them dropped. "Thanks Xion." Afterwards, they headed back. "And thank you for what you did for Roxas."

Xion was surprised that Sora thanked her. "It was nothing." When she looked at Roxas in the distance, she smiled. "I'm just glad that he seems happy now."

Sora nodded. "It's because of you."

Xion looked interested. "Me?"

He looked up toward the sky as he smiled gently. "When no one else could get to him, you did and you never gave up on him."

Gently, Xion smiled. "I couldn't give up on him."

Kairi and Roxas watched them interact, happy that they were doing so. Kairi turned her head toward Roxas. "I'm glad that you and Xion could come with us! It seems like you two are getting along better like you and Sora. I'm glad the two of you could be close." Kairi smiled as she watched the two. "Sora and Xion really are special." She grinned, thankful. "No matter what, they never gave up on us."

Roxas let out a faint smile. "Yeah."

When Sora stepped over, he gave them a curious look. "What are you two talk about?"

Kairi reached over and grabbed one of the ice creams. "Just talking about how lucky we are to have you guys in our lives." Both Sora and Xion looked at each other surprised, but then smiled. After they ate their ice cream, Kairi and Xion walked in the sand on the beach. Afterwards, Xion let out a yawn as she put her hand to her face. Kairi smiled a little. "You've been yawning all morning and you sound really tired. Long night?"

Xion opened her eyes. "We talked most of the night and got up early this morning, but I'm glad. It seems like a heavy burden has been lifted off of Roxas's chest. He seems…better."

Kairi smiled. "I'm glad to hear that."

Nearby, Sora and Roxas watched from the sidewalk as the two walked on the beach. "Hey Sora…?"

Sora looked over curious at Roxas as they both leaned on the railing. "Yeah?"

Roxas tensed a little. "Do you ever…hate dad?"

Sora thought about it. "I mean…I don't hate him. He's never been around much, but…" Their eyes met. "But because of him, I have you guys. You, Ventus-." Sora gave an ironic smile. "Even Vanitas."

Roxas smirked a little. "Sometimes…I think you're too nice."

Sora laughed a little. "Maybe… Either way, I don't hate him, but I can't do what he did. I can't leave my family or friends behind." He watched Kairi giggle in the distance in front of Xion with her hands behind her back. The smile on her face brought a warm feeling to his chest. For a moment, he thought about their future. "I couldn't do that to Kairi. I couldn't leave her alone like we were." Roxas's eyes lowered as he looked serious. "And I know you wouldn't do that to Xion." Roxas lifted his head to Sora, surprised by his words. It's as if he heard his silent doubts. He couldn't imagine doing the same thing either. Sora gave him a confident look. "You wouldn't have left them behind."

As he stared forward at Xion, he knew what Sora meant. He thought about the past and the path they could've been on. If things had worked out differently, the two of them would be taking care of their own child right now. He wouldn't leave them then or now. A serious look came on his face. "You're right." Then, both of them smiled as they looked forward.

Soon, Kairi and Xion came toward them. Sora grinned as an idea came to mind. "Hey! Do you guys want to swim in the pool?"

Kairi glanced at Xion. She didn't seem to have any objections. Then, she turned her attention back to Sora. "Sure!"

* * *

Later, they headed down to the indoor pool. The boys wore a pair of trunks as the girls wore two-piece swim suits. Roxas stepped in first. Slowly, Sora followed behind. His arms crossed over his body as he shivered. "Cold…"

Roxas looked over toward him. "You should be used to this by now."

Suddenly, they heard squeals and laughter. They turned their heads to see Kairi and Xion hold onto each other's hand as they jumped into the water together. The boys' eyes widened. Before they could move out of range, they felt the splash of water. Both of the girls stood up as they crossed their arms over them and shivered. Xion closed her eyes tight. "Cold…!"

Kairi turned her head toward Xion. "You said it, but it's better to get it out of the way now." Kairi walked over toward Sora and pulled his arm. "Come on Sora!" He grinned and followed her. Then, she turned to Xion and Roxas as she got excited. "I know! We should play a game. Me and Sora against you and Roxas! First team to knock the other team over wins!" Sora and Kairi grinned at each other confident. Kairi sat on the edge as Sora stepped back and she sat on his shoulder. Roxas struggled a little not to fall with Xion on his shoulder. Then, they came face to face. Both Kairi's and Xion's hands collided along with Sora's and Roxas's. The two teams struggled. Sora and Kairi pushed a little harder and managed to knock Xion and Roxas down into the water. Both Sora and Kairi cheered.

Roxas popped his head of water out of the water along with Xion and pouted. "You guys got lucky."

Sora smirked along with Kairi. "Care to try again?"

Roxas looked determined. "Bring it on!"

The two competed again. Sora and Kairi managed to knock Roxas and Xion back into the water. Roxas sighed frustrated. Sora grinned. "Again?"

The four locked hands once more. Roxas and Xion managed to push back more this time. During their struggle, Roxas noticed a slight heat on the back of his neck. He glanced back for a few seconds toward Xion's leg behind him. "Roxas!" Xion shouted anxious. He got his head back into the game. Sora gave a final push to knock them both over. Sora and Kairi cheered and high fived. Roxas and Xion rose out of the water. Frustrated, Roxas hit the water. Xion glanced between them and him. "Maybe we should take a break."

Roxas nodded. Both of them stepped out of water and grabbed towels. As he closed his eyes, he breathed out and rubbed the back of head. "I don't what happened. We could have won against them."

Xion's eyes lowered, disappointed. She rubbed the side of her face. "Sorry... It's my fault. I didn't push back as hard as I should've…"

Roxas noticed how tired she seemed. "Maybe we head back for a little." Before she could say anything, Roxas grabbed her hand and looked over at Sora and Kairi. "Hey! We'll be back!"

Sora and Kairi were surprised that they were leaving so soon. Roxas and Xion placed on their shirts they bought with them and headed out. Sora and Kairi watched until they disappeared out of sight. Then, confusion became written on Sora's face as he scratched his head. "You don't think they're upset because we got them one too many times?"

"I'm not sure what's going on," Kairi answered.

Roxas and Xion headed for the elevator and stepped inside. The doors closed in behind them, leaving just the two of them. Xion pressed the button for their floor and looked around. "This place really is nice. It's hard to believe that Sora and Kairi found this by accident."

Roxas crossed his arms as he leaned against the wall. "It is a nice get away from home." Xion let out a yawn as she covered her mouth. "Tired?"

Xion leaned against the wall as she left her eyes closed. "Our conversation last night kept me awake for a little while."

Roxas let out an apologetic smile. "Sorry about that."

Xion shook her head, happy. "Don't. I'm glad. I feel closer to you because of it."

Roxas stepped in front of her. "I guess…you're right. It really did help."

She nodded. "I'm glad."

A faint smile appeared on his lips. He leaned in and pressed his lips to hers as they both closed their eyes. After they parted, his fingers lightly touched the buttons of her shirt as he looked down at them. "I'm glad too. You don't seem to be hiding yourself as much and you shouldn't." Then, his fingers brushed against the side of her hair. She let out a smile. While they were alone, he leaned in and pressed his lips against hers again. Then, they felt the elevator stop. As soon as they looked over, the doors opened. Softly, he grabbed her hand and her fingers intertwined with his. Together, they headed back to their room. Roxas opened the door. He stepped aside to let Xion in first. Afterwards, he closed the door behind him. Xion plopped down on the bed with her head rested against the pillows. Roxas sat on the edge of the bed. A smile came across his lips as he watched Xion. "I guess I'll head back down so that you can sleep."

He was about to get up, but then felt a hand pull on his shirt. "Do you mind staying with me until I fall asleep?"

He nodded and lied down next to her. "If I stay too long, they'll get suspicious."

She grinned. "I'll try not to keep you long."

He lied his head close to her. The smiles never left their faces. Xion tilted her head as she looked curious. "What is it?"

He relaxed more. "I'm just glad you're here."

His words made her smile more. She leaned in and left a kiss on his cheek. "I'm glad to hear that." He smiled until he leaned in and gave her a slow, sensual kiss. Minutes later, they parted. Through her smile, there was disappointment. "I guess you better go meet the others."

He placed his hand on the side of her head. "I'll give it a few minutes." He leaned in and they continued once more. Slowly, his hand ran up along her back and brushed against the strap that was on her shoulder. They parted, both breathing heavily as their eyes met once more. Then, his eyes traveled down as he thought back. "Maybe things would have been better like this. Instead, I rushed it."

Xion leaned her head against her hand as she watched him. "It's in the past. This…This is now." Xion buried her head into his shoulder. "Besides…I knew I wanted to be with you."

Roxas relaxed with his head against hers. "Xion…" His hand rubbed alongside her arm and grabbed onto her hand. She turned her head and looked up at him, curious. He leaned in once more and kissed her again. He hovered over her as she turned with her back pressed against the bed. He caressed along her side to her hips. Slightly hesitant, his eyes lifted and searched hers. Without words, she nodded to his silent question.

XXX

Afterwards, he leaned in again and connected his lips to hers. The kiss between them began to intense. She could feel the tips of his fingers slid down the straps on her shoulders. A muffled moan escaped out of her lips as he brushed against her chest. His hand traveled down and began to loosen the strings holding together her bikini bottom. He lifted his head and parted his lips from hers. Heavily, she panted as she opened her eyes. Her knees bent at each side of his waist as he was over her. He placed a kiss against her neck as she tilted her head toward the side. "We can continue where we left off earlier."

Briefly, she heard his words. His lips traveled along her chest down toward her lower half. The move surprised her a little. She sat up on her elbow as she breathed out, anxious. "You don't have to-."

Slowly, his tongue brushed against her sensitive, sweet spot that made her body shudder. He relaxed himself against the bed and continued to slowly tantalize her with every stroke he made. Each time, her lower half ache more and more. Softly, she breathed out as her eyes were closed. She bit down on her lip slightly as her nails dug into the blanket. Nearby, he could hear little sounds here and there, but still felt something was missing. He lifted his head from her. Right away, she noticed. He moved further up to where they were face to face. Anxious, she pressed her knees up at his waist and waited for them to connect physically. A small half smile, half smirk appeared. He could feel her body rub against his. It was hard to stay still or contain herself. He pressed a light kiss against her neck. His hand reached down and lightly squeezed her left breast. "You're really quiet." His body on top of hers wasn't enough to contain her squirming. He leaned his head on top of his hand as he smiled to tease her. "How am I supposed to know what works?"

It was too much. She was already very eager and was ready to go further. "Please…" she whispered under her breath.

He peeled back her top and let his tongue stroke against the pink, hardened mound. She cried out a little more. After he teased her a little longer, he lifted his head. "I didn't really catch that. What-?"

Anxious, she opened her eyes. Her red cheeks were flushed with heat. "Please…!" she cried. The cry came out louder than she wanted, but her body could no longer stand it. A smirk escaped his lips. Her eyes lowered to a close as she felt his body brush against hers. Once she felt him continue again, several audible cries escaped from her lips. Her legs began to tighten in around him at the overwhelming pleasure. His hands pressed against her thighs to pin her hips down and leave them parted. There was no escape from his touch. Her body was completely under his control. Her nails dug into the blankets and pillows as she searched for something to grab onto. At her peak, her body tense and her back arched slightly from the bed. Her toes curled. With one last cry, her body released. Softly, she breathed out as she turned her head to the side with her eyes closed. Her body was spent.

Roxas lifted from her to see her tired. His body went over hers. Her reaction made him anxious. She could feel his lower half brush against hers. "Xion…" he whispered. The tips of her fingers brushed her hair aside as his lips met hers. His hand reached underneath her and loosened the strings against her back. He removed the rest of her clothes. Her body followed his as he sat up. Without breaking their kiss, he tossed off his open shirt and shorts. He leaned forward as she lied back. As he inched in closer to her, a thought ran through her mind about earlier. She pressed her hands against his shoulders. Curious, his lips left hers. "What-?"

Xion pushed her hands further into his shoulders. He followed and lied back on the bed as she climbed on top of him. He stared at her surprised over the quick switch. With a new drive, she leaned in and pressed her lips against his neck. His eyes lowered to a close and let her continue. She left a trail of kisses along his chest down toward stomach. A sigh left his lips as she felt her hand wrap around his member and rub against him. Her thumb lightly brushed against the tip. "You're very quiet." His eyes opened at her words. A grin slipped out of her lips. More he began to understand what she was up to. She leaned down and lightly brushed him with her tongue. It made his body shudder. "How am I supposed to know what works?"

Anxious, Roxas grabbed onto her arms and pulled her closer to him. He tilted his head to meet her lips, but only felt her finger against them. She smiled toward him. It became a fun game she played with him. Her hips brushed against his, which made him breath out. It was too much. He pressed his hips up against hers, but he was only met with her weight against him. She leaned against his chest with her arms crossed and her head against her arms. He groaned. "Oh come on! You can't just tease me like that!"

Xion grinned. "That's what you did to me." Her hips brushed against his again, which caused him to ache more. She watched as the anxious look on his face grew. "Fine…" She lifted up from him and pressed her hands against his shoulders as her knees went against the bed. Then, he breathed out as he closed his eyes. A moan escaped his lips. Being inside of her had sent him close to finishing. Slowly, she moved on top of him. His eyes closed tighter as he tried not to release yet. His hands grabbed onto her hips. She noticed his heavy breathing and slight groans. She leaned in and pressed her lips against him. His hand caressed along her back. She moved faster on top of him. The same sensation from before began to rise in her again. His hand tightened against her back. Their moans became almost in sync. Unable to hold on, he released inside her. Tired, his body lied flat as he had his eyes closed. Riding out the rest of her pleasure, she moved a few more times until she stopped. Both continued to breath hard.

* * *

After things settled, Xion lied on the bed with her head against Roxas's chest asleep. He laid his hand behind his head as he stared upwards. As much as he told himself he should get up, his body was exhausted and refused to move. Still, he pushed himself to sit on his elbows. "Hm?" Slowly Xion opened her eyes tired.

He smiled a little. "Sorry…I didn't mean to wake you."

She rubbed her eyes as she sat up on her arm. "How long have I been asleep?"

"Just for a few minutes. I'm going to head back down. I'm sure we've been gone for a while."

Xion sat up fully. "I'll go with you."

He didn't want her to push herself. "You look really tired. Just stay here."

Xion smiled a little. "I'm okay." He smiled more as he watched her. Out of the corner of her eye, she noticed and looked over curious. He leaned in and kissed her lips. Afterwards, she smiled at him.

* * *

"Hey!" Sora and Kairi heard the familiar voice nearby. Both of them turned and saw Roxas with Xion near the edge of the pool as her hand held onto his.

Sora gave a sly smirk. "And what have you two been up to?"

Roxas and Xion stepped into the water as he still held onto her hand. "We headed back to our room. Xion fell asleep and I stayed with her." Xion glanced him, which Roxas gave a shrug. It was true enough.

Kairi smiled. "If you're tired, we don't want to keep you."

Xion smiled to assure her. "I'm fine. Really."

Roxas smirked. "And we're ready to challenge you! There's no way you two are winning again."

Sora smirked. "Bring it on!" He separated from Kairi and headed toward them as she followed.

Roxas and Xion nodded toward each other. Soon, the girls were on top of their shoulders. They struggled again and tried to push each other back. Roxas and Xion pressed back harder and managed to knock Sora and Kairi back. The two laughed proud. Roxas headed toward the edge of the pool and let Xion down. "That was easy."

Xion grinned. "That time at least."

Then, they noticed something floating in the water. "What…? Is that…?" Before he could look over, Xion blushed and covered Roxas's eyes before he could see anything. "Hey!"

Sora popped his head out of the water and pointed toward them, upset. "This isn't over! We-." Sora blinked surprised. "What-?" Then, he noticed the same piece of clothing floating in the water. He picked up the bikini top. "Wait… If this isn't Xion's…" When he looked back, he caught Kairi behind him plop back into the water with her arms across her chest as she blushed. Right away, he realized what happened. He scratched the back of his head as he grinned nervously. "Oops…Sorry!" He floated over and handed it back to her. "That was…my fault…" He used his body to block so that no one was see her.

Roxas lifted his head as Xion kept his eyes covered. "Is it over yet?" After a few seconds, she took her hands away.

Sora grinned nervously. "I think we've been in the pool long enough."

Kairi displayed the same kind of nervous smile. "There's other things that we could do around here."

Xion nodded. "Sure."

Roxas shook his head as he pointed toward the two of them. "Better than what the two of you were doing in the pool."

Kairi waved her hands quickly. "There was nothing going on!"

"Right!" Sora agreed. Roxas gave them a skeptical look as he got out of the pool.

* * *

As the sun started to set over the beach, Sora and Kairi walked hand in hand as Roxas and Xion followed behind, doing the same. The four of them gazed over the beach as they felt the sand on their feet. All of a sudden, they heard cheering nearby. Surprised, they looked over as they stopped. A woman in a white wedding dress leaned in and kissed a man dressed in a black tuxedo as their friends tossed rice over them. Afterwards, the bride and groom took off running from the tent along with their friends and headed down toward the water. There was happiness all around. Gentle smiles crossed over Sora's and Kairi's lips. "One day… that will be us."

Sora nodded. "Yeah."

"Why not today?" a voice nearby said. Surprised, the four turned their heads. A man dressed in black smiled toward them as he headed out of the small tent. "Sorry about that. Kind of the sales' pitch we have to do. I couldn't help but overhear. Are the two of you getting married?"

Sora and Kairi nodded. "Yes! We just got engaged yesterday!" Kairi answered.

The man smiled toward him. "Congratulations!" After the official spoke to them and got to know their intentions, he was touched by his words. "That's really sweet. Hmm…" He took one last look at the couple before he made a decision. "Tell you what? I have no other weddings to officiate after this. If you want, I could marry you here and now. I'll even give you a good deal on my services. We can say… it'll cost next to nothing." Both Sora's and Kairi's breaths shortened at his offer. The man noticed Roxas and Xion behind them. "And you already got witnesses, so it can be official. These your friends?"

"I'm his brother and…" Roxas pointed over to Xion. "…she's her sister."

The man smiled. "Works out even better. So? What do you say?" Surprised, Sora and Kairi stared forward and then at each other. The man waved his hand. They didn't seem like they had a decision yet. "Like I said, no rush. You got your whole lives to get married, but… I'll be here for the next hour if you change your mind. Got to wait for the cleanup crew to show up and finish up with the couple that just ran off. I hope I don't have to go find them…Crazy kids…" He turned and walked toward the beach. He left the four of them alone to think.

There was silence between them. They weren't sure what to think about the offer. Xion lifted her head to Sora and Kairi. "Would…the two of you want to get married today?"

Sora's eyes met with Kairi's. Neither knew what to say at the moment. Roxas stepped in closer to them. "It's crazy! You don't have anything to get married with!" Roxas became concerned that they were rushing into things. "It's like the guy said, you have your whole lives. You can't-."

Xion placed her hand on Roxas's arm. He turned his head to her. She knew he wanted to help, but it was their decision to make. "Maybe we should let them talk alone."

Roxas breathed out. "All right…"

On the sidewalk, Roxas and Xion leaned against the rails. Further down the beach, they watched as the two spoke until Sora's lips were pressed against Kairi's forehead. The two had been talking for a while it seemed. Curious, Xion turned his head to Roxas. "Do you really think it's too soon for them to get married?"

Roxas sighed as his eyes lowered. "I don't know…" He turned his attention back to them. "They've been together for a long time, so things wouldn't be any different between them. Still, you always hear that marriage is a big step."

Below them, Kairi took Sora's hand and ran as he followed behind with excited looks on their faces. Xion and Roxas watched confused as they ran back to the tent and spoke to the officiant. They weren't sure what was going on. "Do you think they're going to go through with it?"

"I don't know…" Roxas answered.

Soon, the two ran out of the tent and up to the sidewalk where they waited. As Kairi passed by, she grabbed onto Xion's arm and pulled her along. "Come with me!" Surprised, Xion followed her pull.

Roxas stared at them stunned as he watched them run off in a flash. Sora stopped in beside him. Roxas looked over surprised. "What's going on?"

Sora grinned. "Come on! We gotta lot of work to do!"

Roxas blinked, surprised. "Wait! Are you guys going through with it?!"

"Yup!" Sora took off running. "Let's go!" At first, Roxas hesitated, but then took off behind him. After they went off their separate ways, Roxas and Xion helped get everything ready for the impromptu wedding.

* * *

"Are you sure this is what you want to do?" Xion looked over curious as she held Kairi's hair in her hand.

In the hotel, Kairi sat on her legs, on the floor, between Xion's knees while Xion sat on the bed. She let out a gentle smile as she stared toward the floor. "Yes." She looked back toward Xion. "You probably think that this is crazy right?"

Xion shook her head. "You do crazy things when you're in love."

Kairi giggled with her finger to her lips. "That's a nice way of putting it."

A smile curved at Xion's lips. "I heard it once."

"Hmm…" When she questioned whether or not she wanted to do this, there were no doubts in Kairi's mind.

Xion became curious. "Do you know what you're going to say?"

Kairi placed her hand to her chest. She believed that the words would come to her. "Not really, but I'm sure it will be something from the heart. It should be pretty easy. It is Sora I'm talking about."

Xion tilted toward the side a little. "How do you know…?"

Kairi looked back at her. "That he's the one? I just do." Her eyes traveled down as she reflected on the past. "We've known each other almost our whole lives. He hasn't really changed. I can't see him not being in my life."

"Hmm…" Xion began to wonder the same thing about her own relationship.

"Can I see now?" Kairi snapped Xion out of her thoughts.

"Huh? Oh!" Kairi stood up and looked in the mirror. Xion stepped in behind her worried. "I'm not the best at this…"

Kairi placed her hands behind her back. "This is good. I think it's pretty." The back of her hair was pinned by a flower as some of her strands hung pass her neck. Kairi smiled as she looked down. Butterflies were already fluttering in her stomach at what was to come next. "We should head down soon." Afterwards, she grabbed her dress she just bought on the bed and went into the bathroom to get changed.

* * *

Down at the beach, Roxas looked over toward the building where their hotel was. "They should be down soon." When he turned his head to Sora, he became surprised. He noticed his leg shake as his hands were in his pockets as he stared out at the ocean. For the last few minutes, he noticed that Sora couldn't stand still. The whole time they were busy he seemed excited and calm, but now that it was time, he was different. Roxas let out a faint smile. "Nervous?"

Sora's eyes widened. "What?! Oh!" Sora let out a smile toward him as he rubbed the back of his head. "Me? Nervous? Come on! Why would I be?"

Roxas let out a small laugh. He suspected that Sora's nerves were finally getting to him. He was surprised that it didn't happen sooner, but he figured with all of their running around, he hadn't felt what he was about to do hit him yet. "I guess not."

Sora placed his hands behind his head as he looked a little concerned. "Do you think…that we're going too fast?"

Roxas was surprised that he asked him that now. He was confident before. "What do you think?"

Sora looked down calm as he thought about it. "Not really."

Roxas nodded as he smiled. "Then there's your answer."

"Good to hear," they heard a voice say from nearby. They looked over to see the officiant step out from under the tent. "You'd be surprised how many people rush into marriage. I'm surprised you two actually made it in time."

Sora pumped his fist. "Of course we would!"

Then, Roxas noticed something out of the corner of his eye. On the sidewalk, he saw Xion standing near the rail. She nodded toward him. Sora was about to look back, but then Roxas turned his head. "What are you doing?! You're not supposed to see the bride before the wedding! Stay right here." Quietly, Sora listened to him.

Roxas and Xion met in the middle where they nodded toward each other. Then, Xion walked ahead. She stopped on the other side of Sora as she let out a smile. A little nervous, Sora looked over. "You look nice Xion."

Xion work a thin strapped short, yellow sundress. "Thank you."

His eyes traveled toward the side as he wondered what Kairi would look like. As Kairi stepped on the beach, Roxas held out his arm toward the side. Kairi looked at him a little surprised. He noticed her reaction and smiled. "I figured I would walk you down the aisle."

Kairi smiled and locked her arm with his. She was touched. Together, they started to walk along the beach. As they did, she lifted her eyes and saw the back of Sora. Seeing him had instantly caused nervousness to shoot through her body. Her eyes traveled along the sand. "You…You guys look really nice…"

Roxas smiled toward her. "Thanks! You look really nice too."

Kairi looked a little concerned. "Did you guys have any trouble?"

Roxas stood his head. "Nope! We got everything."

She breathed out in relief. "That's good."

"You know? Sora's really nervous too." Kairi looked over at Roxas surprised. Roxas smiled toward her. He could tell that she was really nervous to, so he thought of something that might help her relax. "He's trying to hide it, but I can tell." Kairi let out a grin. It really did help to hear that. They made it toward the carpet that was laid out on the sand.

Out of the corner of his eye, Sora noticed them step nearby. Then, it felt as things began to slow down. She walked into his view and turned toward him. Nervously, she glanced between him and the ground as she smiled. "Hi…"

As he stared at her, his lips parted stunned. Then, red filled his cheeks. "H-Hi! You-You…You look really…pretty!"

The official stepped toward them. "You two ready?"

As he stared at her, he could feel more of his nerves take over his body, but he knew it was in a good way. He was more nervous being around her than the actual act. "Yes!" he yelped. There was a slight crack in his nervous voice. His answer was louder than intended, but it was the answer he wanted to give.

Kairi nodded. "Yes."

Xion reached into her pocket and grabbed her phone. Roxas looked over curious. "What are you doing?" he whispered.

Xion turned her phone horizontal. "I'm recording this so Sora and Kairi will have something to remember this by."

Roxas smiled. That was good thinking on her part. "Good idea." Together, Sora and Kairi held onto each other's hand as the officiant stood near them and started. Roxas smirked. "Sora looks so nervous that he looks like he's about jump out of his skin." Both of them snickered. Then, Roxas and Xion smiled gently as they watched them. It really turned out to be a beautiful ceremony for the two of them.

Once it was over, Xion grinned as Roxas let out a whistle to cheer. She stopped recording as she placed her phone down. "The ceremony was nice."

Roxas nodded toward her. "Yeah…"

Later, the four of them went further down toward the water for photos. "You have to hold still." Xion held up her camera as Roxas stood beside her.

"Sorry!" the newly married couple said. Sora's arms wrapped more around Kairi as she was pressed against his chest. Her head leaned against his neck with her arms wrapped around his waist. Both of them stared at the camera.

After Xion took the picture, she smiled. "One more."

Kairi turned with her back pressed against Sora's front as he wrapped his arms around her again and leaned his head against hers. Both smiled as Xion took another picture. "We should take one together!" Kairi suggested. They gathered together and Roxas held up the phone to get them in. All four of them grinned as he snapped a picture of them. Soon, they stood up straight. Kairi leaned over to where Xion was and looked at the pictures she took so far. "These are really nice." Kairi grinned at Xion. "Good idea to be our official photographer."

Xion smiled a little. "I didn't do much…"

Roxas and Sora smiled as they looked over. "It was Xion's idea to take video too. Now you'll have something to always remember this day by."

Xion smiled a little excited. "I can transfer everything to my computer when we get back."

Sora nodded. "Sounds good."

Roxas crossed his arms. "You think the others will get mad?"

Sora put his hands on his hips. "Maybe for a little, but it's not like we won't have a wedding where everyone's invited." He gave a gentle smile. "Thanks guys, for being here."

Roxas and Xion smiled. "And since it's your wedding, there's going to be food involved. Right?"

Sora sighed as he leaned down. Xion let out a giggle and then look at Roxas. "You know? Since it's their wedding, we could treat them as a gift."

Nervously, Sora smiled as he rubbed the back of his head. "Thanks Xion. My munny kind of went into this..."

Xion nodded and pulled Roxas along to give them a little space and time alone, but it didn't stop her from trying to make it a special day for them. Nearby, Xion took a picture of them while they were still. Roxas looked over curious. "You're still take pictures?"

Xion smiled, proud. "Yeah. It's moments like these that they'll cherish forever." Roxas let out a smile. He knew that she was right. She took another picture as she sat in the sand. Roxas glanced at them before he looked at Xion. "It's weird. It's almost like spying on them."

Xion smiled at him. "We won't have to do it for long." She took one last picture before she got up. "I think that's it." Roxas got up and walked back toward the sidewalk.

On the sidewalk, Xion and Roxas gazed out over the ocean. Xion held onto the bouquet as she smiled gently. "This day really was nice. I'm glad that we stayed here." Roxas leaned against the railing. Xion smiled more as she watched the sunset. "This whole vacation has been something special. Not only did we watch them get married, but-."

"Xion... I love you." Surprised, she turned her head toward him. There was a serious look on his face. At first, she wasn't sure if she heard him right. She was at a loss for words. His eyes lowered disappointed. "I'm sorry that it took me so long to say it, but…" His eyes met hers. "I just didn't know how to say it. After what happened to my mother and…what almost happened to you, I think…" The memories of what happened to them plagued him. "I didn't want to get close to someone like that or feel that hurt again." Xion stood in silence. He didn't look over to see her reaction. He figured that she was upset with him.

Suddenly he felt a weight pressed against his back as arms wrapped around him. He looked back surprised to see Xion lean against him with her eyes closed. "I'm not going anywhere. You don't have to worry about that." He turned to face her as she let out a smile. "No matter what, I'll stay by your side."

Her words stunned and touched him. "Xion…" He went over and embraced her as he closed his eyes.

Xion wrapped her arms against his back. "I love you."

A smile crossed over his lips as he leaned back from her. "I love you too." A smile crossed her lips as she smiled at him. She was happy to finally heard those words.

"What did we just walk in on?" they heard a familiar voice. Both of them turned their attention to Kairi who smiled followed by Sora. Xion and Roxas responded with a smile.

"Are you guys ready to eat?" Sora placed his hand on his stomach. "I'm ready to get this reception started!"

Everyone let out a laugh. Roxas looked over at Sora. "Yeah yeah…Just try not to make me go broke okay?" Sora grinned in respond. Roxas breathed out. He really hoped that wouldn't be the case…

* * *

 _Thank you for reading! I'll be back to update soon! As a heads up, there's two more chapters to go before this story comes to an end._


	17. It's Like A Dream…You and Me

_**Author's Notes:** Thank you for keeping up with the story! After this chapter will be the ending! _

* * *

_The Runaways (Roxas, Xion, and the Organization side of the story)_

 _Chapter 16: It's Like A Dream…You and Me:_

 _His eyes slowly opened to the bright scene around him. He gazed toward the sky to see white, falling petals. When he looked down, he saw himself wearing a white, buttoned up shirt. It seemed formal and something he wouldn't usually wear. When lifted his eyes, he saw a woman in front of him. Her long veil and white wedding gown floated gently by the breeze of the wind. She held a bouquet of multi-colored flowers in her hands. Roxas's body froze as he watched the woman advance toward him. Even though he couldn't see her face, there was something about her that was beautiful..._

 _He snapped out of his stare and looked around. He found himself standing on the beach back home. In the distance, the skies were filled with dark colors like purple, crimson, and black. The mainland had complete faded away and the only place left was the beach he stood on. In front of him were white wooden chairs, but they were all empty. Finally, he turned his attention back to the woman in white. Through her veil, Roxas could see her smile. It left him voiceless. Was this really his wedding…? The woman stopped inches away from him and turned her body toward him. He stared at her, still unable to see her face. "Roxas…" her voice echoed._

 _Nervously, he lifted the bottom of her veil and placed it behind her head. The woman grinned at him as she closed her eyes. "Xion!" He felt his chest tightened. This was it. As he stared down at her, he could feel his nervousness start to fade. It was the woman he loved. The only person he loved more than anyone. His lips curved into a smile. There was no need for him to be scared. He wanted to be with her. "Xion..."_

 _Xion slipped her hands into his as she stepped in closer. "I love you."_

 _Roxas smiled more. "I love you too…"_

 _Her face moved in closer to his. "I want to be with you…now and forever."_

 _His hand cupped the side of her cheek. A tear escaped from her eye. "Yeah…I want that too." He enclosed the distance between them and sealed their union with a kiss. They were there alone in their world together. A world they both longed for..._

 _It was all a beautiful dream…_

In his bed, Roxas opened his eyes to the darkness around him. At first, it made him nervous to think about Xion that way and wondered why he had a dream like that. Once he calmed down, he stared up at the ceiling. It truly was a beautiful dream…

Later that morning, Roxas leaned himself against the kitchen counter he had in the apartment. He waited around, restless. The same thought crossed his mind. Was it happening all over again? A few years had passed and like Xion, he had already graduated from high school. They were already in the next step in their lives and that was college. Originally, Xion and Kairi were supposed to have an apartment together, but after coming to a mutual decision and deciding to keep it a secret from their parents, he now lived with Xion while Sora lived with Kairi. So far, neither one of their families had figured out what they had done.

Roxas's fingers tapped against the wooden surface as he tried to wait patiently, but there was no use. Suddenly, he heard the door to the apartment open. When he stepped out of the kitchen, he saw Xion walk toward him. Her calm facial expression didn't tell him what he wanted to know. It had only made him more confused. She stopped in front of him and leaned back against the counter. "Well…" Roxas said anxiously. He had to know for sure. Xion shook her head as she closed her eyes. "No? Are you sure?"

She lifted her head toward him. "That's what the doctor said."

Roxas grabbed her hand as his mind started to travel to the worse of places. "Then… what did he say was wrong?"

Xion smiled for comfort. "Don't worry. The doctor said that I wasn't pregnant. He figured I was sick because he had seen signs of the flu. That's why I couldn't get out of bed much. As for my time of the month being late…, he told me that it could have been caused by stress or something like that, but I'm okay now. Everything's back to normal." Roxas sighed with his eyes closed and leaned back against the counter with his hands. Xion turned the faucet on and let the water run. She decided to help out since Roxas seemed stressed enough waiting for her to get back. She figured he got distracted from finishing the dishes.

There was a look of concern on his face. "Sorry about this... It's my fault that I got us so worried. We got caught up in the moment and then the wrapper broke and when it did, it was already too late. I-."

She placed a little bit of soap bubbles on his cheek and poked him with the tip of her finger. At first, he closed his eyes before he looked over toward her. Xion smiled to assure him it was fine. "Don't start again. You know how you get when you think you did or didn't do something involving me." Xion placed her hands at her side. As soon as she felt her wet hands soak through her clothes, she wished she hadn't. "Roxas. Remember. Whatever happens with us is something we'll get through together."

Roxas chuckled and pointed toward her hands. "You do realize your hands were wet when you put them there, right?"

Xion closed her eyes, embarrassed. "I know…" she moaned.

Roxas laughed, which Xion joined in. He was already feeling better. He used to be the one who would try to cheer her up, but now she was the one always cheering him up whenever he was down. She could always find a way. Xion returned back to washing dishes. Roxas looked over at her. "You don't have to do that, you know… It's supposed to be my turn this week."

She continued working. "I know. I don't mind. You just seem…really stressed lately."

Roxas crossed his arms. "Yeah. Another unexpected pregnancy is enough to scare anyone." Then, Roxas realized what he said. He hoped that he didn't upset Xion. He gave her a concern look, but Xion didn't react. She just continued to clean the plate in her hand. At that moment, he wondered what she was thinking. He calmed down a little. "So? Did you ask the doctor about the other thing?"

"Well…" Xion turned to him. "The doctor checked me out and he told me that I was okay. The miscarriage shouldn't affect us having another baby. He's known a lot of couples who have gone through the same thing and were able to have kids just fine." Afterwards, she returned back to cleaning.

Suddenly, she felt arms wrap around her waist, which she was surprised. She looked back as Roxas leaned his head on her shoulder. "Good. I just want to make sure that you're happy."

Xion turned around in arms and looked up at him, concerned. "I want you to be happy too. Do you…want a family with me? I mean-."

Roxas smiled and pressed his head against hers. "As long as it's with you, I don't mind. I guess… it wouldn't hurt to have a few. I was used to the idea when you talked about it a few years ago when…" Roxas rubbed the back of his head. "Never mind…"

"You mean…when I was going to have a baby?" Xion filled in for him. He didn't want to make her sad again by thinking about the past. Instead, Xion gave him a smile. "Roxas. It's okay. The past is the past. We have to move on from it eventually and we have. It's okay to talk about it."

Roxas sighed silently in relief. He went on Xion's other side and began helping her with the dishes. She was surprised, but then smiled. The two finished the dishes and soon made their way to the couch. Roxas lied down and Xion lied down in front of him with her back turned from him. His arms wrapped around her, tired. He breathed out as he closed his eyes. "Sorry I couldn't go with you today."

Xion held his arm around her. "It's okay. Everything's fine now." Soon, things became quiet between them. Roxas gave into sleep and Xion followed after.

 _The world around them started to disappear. No longer could they see the homeland of Destiny Islands. All that was left was the beach they were on. The rest was covered in the darkness that was closing in. Roxas lied on the sand of what was left on the beach. The water rolled near his feet. He ignored the desolation around him to focus on the one thing that mattered in his world. A hand held onto his and waited for the final moments before the world would fall into darkness. He smiled at the woman who had made him happiest. In return, she smiled back at him. Neither one of them were afraid as long as they were together. "Xion."_

 _Xion turned her head and brought her face closer to his. It didn't matter if they were the only ones as long as they were together. "Stay with me like this forever?"_

 _Roxas smiled and nodded. "Yeah… I will."_

Roxas's body jumped as his eyes shot up. His reaction made Xion wake up. She looked back as she could hear him breathe hard. Concerned, she turned more toward him. "Roxas? Are you okay?"

At first, Roxas didn't realize that he woke up Xion. He relaxed a little so that he wouldn't worry her. "It was nothing. Just a dream. I didn't mean to wake you."

She rested her hand on his cheek, which comforted him. "Was it a bad dream?"

Roxas thought about it. It didn't seem like a nightmare. The world was gone, but all that was left was them and they were together. He shook his head. "No. Just go back to sleep."

Xion took his word for it and lied back down. Soon after, she fell back asleep. Roxas leaned his head on her arm as he thought about the dream again. It wasn't like the dreams he had before. This one and the night before seemed intense yet there was nothing to be afraid of. He was there with Xion, someone he cared for very much. It was a world with just the two of them. He began to wonder if his dreams were meant to tell him something...

* * *

"Yo!" As soon as Roxas opened the door, he saw the bright grin of his red-haired friend. He waved his hand. "How's it going?"

Roxas turned away as he seemed lost in thought. "Hey Axel."

Axel tilted his head a little, curious. "O...kay..." He closed the door and plopped down on the couch. He looked back at him. "So? What's up?"

Roxas sat beside him. "Nothing much."

Axel leaned forward. "Are you sure? You seem kind of…out of it."

Roxas's eyes traveled down. "I've…just been thinking a lot."

Axel leaned back against the couch as he put his hands behind his head. "All right! What's on your mind?"

Roxas lifted his head toward him. "It's about Xion. I've been having these weird dreams about her and-."

Suddenly, they heard the door open. Behind them, they saw the raven-haired girl of the conversation step in. At first, she was surprised that the door was unlock, but once she saw Axel, she figured he must've stopped by early. She smiled toward them. "Hey guys!" She placed the brown bag she had in her arms on the counter.

"Hey!" They both greeted her.

Xion stopped in front of them and looked toward Axel. "How's it going?"

"It's all right. Just been busy." Axel looked between the two of them. "It doesn't help that I don't go to school with you guys. I don't get to see you anymore."

"It was bound to happen at some point. It just happened to be now," Roxas replied.

Axel sighed as he crossed his arms. "I guess…" Then, he leaned forward on his knee as he looked serious. "Anyway, there was something I wanted to tell you two. I'm sure you heard that the head of the organization got caught and sent away right?" The two glanced at each other and nodded. "Turns out the rest of the organization got sent away as well." Roxas and Xion reacted with surprise. "Yeah… Everyone who was involved got sent away."

Roxas looked uneasy. "But what about you?"

"After you two decided to be my friends again, I left them too."

Xion looked worried. "They didn't hurt you too did they?"

"Nah…I was more careful. Maybe if they didn't get caught as soon as they did, I wouldn't have been so lucky."

"So everyone's in there?" Roxas asked.

Axel nodded. "Yup…" As he looked serious, he lifted his eyes to Xion. "Larxene is gone too so you don't have to worry about her anymore." His eyes lowered. "She'll end up paying for what she did."

Xion breathed in. In a way, it came as a relief. Now she couldn't hurt anyone else. She sat down on the floor in front of them still stunned. Roxas breathed out as well. He had the same thoughts as her. Now Larxene could finally pay for what she did. After she relaxed slightly, Xion looked over at Axel. "The important thing is that you're safe."

Axel placed his hand on the back of his head. "Just lucky I guess…"

Xion smiled a little and stood up. "Are you hungry?"

"I could eat," Axel replied.

"I'm going to put away the stuff I bought. Then I can make us something. Be right back." Afterwards, she stepped into the kitchen.

They watched as she walked away. Then, Axel turned his attention back to Roxas. "So what was it that you were telling me earlier about Xion?"

Roxas shook his head. He didn't want to discuss it yet with Xion nearby. "Never mind. It's nothing."

* * *

The next day, Roxas sat at an empty table on campus alone. Xion had class, so it gave him time to think. He leaned his head on his hand as he stared down. He thought about his dreams again with just Xion and him and what it could be trying to tell him. A sigh left his lips. Maybe it was just subconscious, but he still couldn't help but think about it. "Hey little brother!" Roxas turned his head surprised to see Sora head toward him as his hand waved in the air. Since they went to same school together and lived in a nearby apartment building, it was easy to find him. Afterwards, Sora sat down in front of him.

Roxas gave him a dull stare. "You don't have to call me _that_ you know…"

Sora let out a grin. "I know." Then, Sora noticed the troubled look he had on his face. "What's wrong?"

Roxas wasn't sure if he wanted to say. Sora continued to stare at him until Roxas sighed and gave in. "Nothing... I was just thinking."

"About what?" Sora asked curiously.

Roxas's eyes traveled down toward the table. He thought about his dreams again. "Well… I just been thinking about these dreams I had lately of me and Xion. I'm trying to figure out what they mean. In all of them, it's just me and her alone together while it looks like the world is about to end."

"Whoa…" It sounded a little scary, but despite that, Sora smiled for comfort. "It could just be a dream." Then, Sora noticed someone familiar nearby. At first, he was surprised, but then smiled and waved wildly. "Hey…! Vanitas….!" Vanitas stopped at the familiar call. Once he saw who it was, an embarrassed look came on his face. Sora wouldn't stop waving. "Hey! Come over here!"

Every part of Vanitas did not want to go over there, but it was too late to disappear now. He sighed with his eyes closed and walked over. He sat down between Sora and Roxas. "What do you want dork? I was getting ready to go back to my apartment."

Sora closed his eyes as he grinned. "Hey big brother!"

Vanitas leaned his head on his hand. "Don't call me that."

Sora pouted. "Awe…! You never spend any time with us?"

Vanitas glared toward him. "There's a reason for that." Then, Vanitas noticed the tense look on Roxas's face. Out of curiosity, he gave in. "What's your problem?"

"Nothing..." Roxas whispered.

An idea came to Sora's mind that might help. "Come on Roxas. Maybe Vanitas could help."

Vanitas arched his eyebrow as he looked between them. "Help with what?"

"Well…" Sora began.

"I've been having these dreams lately." Vanitas and Sora turned their attention toward Roxas who stared toward his hands. "I'm in this world alone with Xion. It's only us two."

Vanitas shrugged. "So?"

"Yeah. What else happened?" Sora asked.

Roxas looked between them. "Well in one or a few of them, I think we were… getting married."

Sora grinned and patted Vanitas on the shoulder. "Well if it's about getting married, then Vanitas is someone you should talk to!"

Vanitas closed his eyes, annoyed. "Don't touch me…" Nervously, Sora pulled his hand back. Vanitas shook his head. "Why did she have to tell everyone we were engaged…?" he muttered.

Sora smiled. "She didn't. Aqua told Kairi and Kairi told me."

Vanitas crossed his arms against his chest. "I knew she would."

"Come on... You wouldn't tell your brothers?" Sora asked.

Vanitas shook his head. "No."

Tired of the back and forth, Vanitas turned his attention to Roxas. "You love the girl, right?"

Roxas blinked, caught off guard. "Huh? Um…? Yeah!"

Vanitas ached his eyebrow. "Are you really looking for what your dreams mean or a sign?"

Roxas stared at him surprised and curious. "A sign?"

"Either you're making a big deal over nothing or you're thinking about something else. Probably just being with her," Vanitas pointed out.

Sora nodded in agreement. "Yeah."

Roxas gave a nervous look. He didn't usually talk to Vanitas about personal things since they didn't hang out, but his words had really made him think."...What made you want to propose to Aqua?"

"I-." Before Vanitas started, he glanced over at Sora who kept grinning at him. The last thing he wanted to hear was Sora comment something sweet. He sighed. Despite not wanting to hear the teasing, he still wanted to help Roxas. He turned more toward him. "Because I wanted to. We've been together for a long time so why wouldn't I? I didn't want anybody else."

It had made Roxas think about Xion and him. They had been together for years now and gone through a lot. Even through it all, they loved each other. When he thought about their future together, he couldn't imagine one without her, but he had to ask himself was he ready to stay with her forever? Roxas stood up, which Vanitas and Sora looked up at him. Roxas pressed his fist against his chest. What he planned to do next felt right. "You're right."

A confused look went across Vanitas's face. "You could sit back down and tell me what I'm right about."

Roxas relaxed and sat back down. Right away, he smiled. "Maybe you're right. Maybe I was looking for a sign. I think I know what I want to do now. Thanks Vanitas."

Inside, Vanitas was surprised. They hadn't always gotten along, but that was the first time he heard him say 'thank you'. Sora grinned. "See! I knew Vanitas would be able to help."

Vanitas sighed as he got up. "Shut up Sora..." He glanced over at Roxas. "So…? What are you planning to do?"

Roxas let out a confident smile. He was more determined than ever. "You'll see." Vanitas stared at Roxas as he tried to read him. He already had an idea in mind of what Roxas was up to, but he would just have to find out if he was right. Below, he noticed Sora still smile toward him. He rolled his eyes and left to head back to his apartment. Afterwards, Roxas stood up and went his separate way from Sora to head back to his own apartment with Xion.

* * *

A few weeks had passed, Xion walked into the apartment and headed toward the bedroom that Roxas and her shared. Roxas stepped out of the kitchen as he smiled. "Hey!"

Xion jumped, scared as she stopped. She didn't expect him to already be home. "Oh! Roxas." She smiled a little. "I didn't know you were already here."

Roxas headed toward her. "I wanted to surprise you. Let me take you out tonight."

Xion stared at him as she wondered what made him plan one. "Oh?" She took a moment to think whether or not she already had something planned. Then, she looked up toward Roxas. "Sure! I would love to."

Roxas smiled, happy. Xion went into their room to drop her stuff off and change into something nice and casual like he wore. She changed into a thin strapped black dress that stopped short of her knees while he had on a white collared shirt and beige pants. After they left the apartment, Roxas took them to a small restaurant to eat where they talked and laughed. By the time they got out, night was already upon them. Roxas led them to a park where there were a lot of people around. Xion looked around curious as to what was going on. Then, she turned toward Roxas. "Roxas-?"

He answered her question with a smile. "Just wait and see." He held onto her hand as he made his way through the crowd. He managed to find a clear spot for them to sit on the edge of a brick wall, where there weren't as many people standing around and a good view to watch.

Xion wondered what would happen next. "Roxas? What's going on? What are all these people doing here?"

Roxas gazed up toward the sky. It seemed that the show didn't start yet. "Just watch."

While they waited, Xion turned her head and smiled toward him. "Thank you for dinner tonight. It was really nice."

Roxas rested his hand on top of hers. "Yeah…" he whispered.

Xion had been curious all night with their sudden date. "So? What made you want to go out tonight?"

"Well we're usually busy so I thought it would be nice to spend more time together."

Xion nodded in agreement. She leaned her head on his shoulder with her eyes closed. It was nice just to sit there alone with him. All of a sudden, they heard a loud explosion. Instantly, Xion sat up and saw fireworks burst upwards and the sky became filled with different colors. Xion grinned in excitement. "Wow…" Around them, they could hear people awe in amazement.

Roxas continued to gaze up at the sky as he smiled. Then he turned his attention to Xion. The way the night sky lit up her face and the smile that curved at her lips made him filled with happiness. While she was focused on the fireworks, his hand reached toward his pocket. "Xion?"

Xion was still entranced by the lights. "It's really pretty, isn't it?" As she turned to him, their eyes met. Her head tilted toward the side with a gentle smile on her face.

"Yeah..." Roxas gazed into her eyes as he became caught in them. He moved in closer. Her eyes lowered to a close as he kissed her. Their lips moved slow and sensual. The noise of the world grew silence. For a moment, it had become just like his dream. The only ones there were him and her. After a little time, they split apart, letting the rest of the world back in. The fireworks were still going on in the distance. Xion stared at Roxas surprised. There was something different about their kiss just now. She couldn't describe it. Then, she turned her attention back to the fireworks. Maybe she was reading too much into it. Roxas reached into pocket and figured now was a better time than any to spring his surprise. All of a sudden, he felt Xion scooted in closer and leaned her head against his shoulder. At first, the move made him hesitate, but soon he relaxed. He took his hand out of his pocket and leaned his head against hers. He decided to watch the rest of the fireworks with her. There would be plenty of time later.

After it was over, Roxas walked with Xion hand in hand as they headed back to their apartment. Xion grinned. "That was really great Roxas! How did you know about the fireworks?"

His lips curved into a smile. "Well… I heard it was an annual thing around here and I thought it would be nice to see."

Xion glanced down at her feet as she kicked her leg up a little. "Yeah... I guess we haven't really gone out on a lot of dates before this." Roxas stopped and made her turn around. He wondered if now was the right time to do what he planned, but it still didn't feel right. Curious, Xion stared into his eyes. "Roxas?"

He shook his head. "It's nothing." He leaned down and kissed her for a few seconds.

Afterwards, they walked away and made it back to their apartment. Xion stepped inside and headed toward the couch tired. She let herself fall back. Her body sat upside down as she let her back lay on the seat cushion and her legs hung off the top of the couch. Roxas smiled and joined her. The two turned their heads toward each other and let out a smile. Xion placed her hands on her stomach. "It was a really nice night tonight."

Roxas placed his hands on his stomach as well. "Yeah." His eyes traveled toward the side. Everything had gone perfectly tonight, but he still didn't do the main thing he wanted to. He wondered if he should, but knew that he really wanted to. He looked over toward Xion who stared up toward the ceiling. Roxas reached over and grabbed her hand. "Xion…?" She gave him a curious look. His eyes traveled down. "You remember a long time ago when we said we wanted to run away?"

She wondered where he was going with this. "Yes."

Roxas lifted his head toward her. "Well… I guess I've been thinking a lot lately... Even though we couldn't really run and it's us together now, I guess…I guess I always want it to stay that way."

Xion grabbed onto his hand tighter and smiled to assure him. "Yeah. Me too."

Roxas stared up toward the ceiling as he let his head lean back. His dreams came to mind again. "In a world of our own..." he whispered.

Xion looked up as well. "Yeah. It could be that way."

Roxas reached into his pocket and pulled out what he had been hiding the whole night. He kept it out of Xion's sight. "Now I know a way of how that could happen even more Xion."

Xion turned to him surprised. "How?"

Roxas stared into her eyes with a sincere expression. "Marry me." At his words, her eyes instantly widened. He lifted his hand from his side to reveal a black box. Her breath shortened more. He opened the black box and took out a ring with a heart shaped stone and silver band. Xion watched as Roxas slid the ring on her finger. Her mouth hung open, speechless. She stared at the ring before she looked at Roxas who still waited for an answer. Then, Xion moved in closer to him and leaned her forehead against his. Both of them closed their eyes as their fingers were intertwined. "This would be a world of our own. Just between us."

Happy and slightly teary eyed, she smiled. "Yes." In return, Roxas smiled back. Their eyes lowered to a close. In the silence of their living room, they were happy just to have time with each other.

* * *

Later, Aqua stood near the kitchen with her phone pressed to her ear. Instantly, she smiled, excited. "Congratulations! I'm very happy for the two of you!" After she exchanged a few words, she hung up her phone and went over to Vanitas who sat on the couch. She sat down and leaned back against his arm that was on top of the couch. "Guess what?!"

Vanitas arched his eyebrow toward her. Whatever she heard over the phone seemed to make her really happy. "What?"

Aqua grinned. "It looks like Roxas and Xion are engaged now! Just like the two of us." Vanitas closed his eyes as he smirked and leaned back against the couch. His prediction was correct about what Roxas was up to since they spoke all those weeks ago.

* * *

 _Thank you for reading! The ending will be posted soon! Stay tuned!_


	18. Epilogue

_**Author's Notes:** ___Thank you to everyone who followed, favorite, and reviewed this story! We have finally reached the end. I hope that you'll enjoy the last chapter!__

* * *

 _The Runaways (Roxas, Xion, and Axel Side of the Story)_

 _~Epilogue~_

 _16 Years Later…_

The apartment began to calm down as it got late into the night. Xion walked back into the living room to see two heads turned toward the television and one playing with their toys. "All right. Time to get ready for bed."

A young, eight-year-old girl leaned back with her hands pressed on her knees as she groaned. "Five more minutes…? It's almost over. Please…"

Xion breathed out with her eyes closed. It wouldn't hurt to let them stay up a little longer. "All right… Only five more. Then you have to go to bed." Afterwards, she turned back toward the sink and finished up the rest of the dishes. As she stood in the kitchen, a smile curved at her lips. In a month, she would return to see the rest of her family. It reminded her that a lot of things had changed over the years and the proof was right in front of her. She turned back toward the living room. "All right… Your five minutes are up. Go brush your teeth." The older two in front of the television stood up and ran toward the bathroom. On the floor, Xion noticed that the youngest didn't move as he began to put away his toys. She bent down beside the six-year-old boy as she looked curious. "Do you need any help?"

"It's all right. I got it." As she watched him, she became concerned. Lately, he seemed quiet. It was then that she made up her mind. She began to help him pick up his toys. "Mom-."

"I know." She smiled toward him. "You can do it on your own, but I want to help. I don't mind." He turned his head back toward the floor. Inside, he was happy to have her beside him. Xion took another good look at her young son. He was smaller in statue with light blue eyes and orange-yellow hair with a few spikes pointed up in the front. A smile curved on her lips once more. To her, he was someone special. After they were done, he took off toward his room.

In the hallway, the first two approached. Xion placed her hands on her eldest daughter's cheeks to pop her lips open and check her teeth. Afterwards, she smiled. "Good!" She rubbed the top of her blonde hair that reached down to her shoulder. "Good night Xenna."

She headed toward her room as she waved. "Night!"

Xion turned her attention to the second oldest. He had short blonde hair that reached down to his neck and blue eyes. He flashed his pearly whites, which she grinned. Afterwards, he ran pass." She chuckled a little. "Good night to you too Daxs!"

"Good night mom!" Daxs shouted.

Xion shook her head as she smiled. They really were growing up fast before her eyes. Then, she looked over at the end of the hall toward the bathroom. The light was still on. She was a little concerned and wondered if she should check on the youngest. Deciding to let Jaxon handle things on his own, she went to Xenna's room instead. She leaned over and placed a kiss against her forehead. Xenna giggled at the sensation. "You don't have to keep doing that mom."

Xion sat down at her bedside as she let out a gentle smile. "I know. I just like to. Soon, you'll be old enough that I can't do it anymore." She went over toward the light and turned it off. Then, she looked back at Xenna. "Good night."

Xenna settled in and closed her eyes. "Good night mom."

Afterwards, Xion went over to the next room and said good night to Daxs as well. In the hall, she looked for Jaxon, but he was nowhere to be found. Eventually, she spotted him sitting in the kitchen. She walked over to him curious and sat down beside him. "Jax?" He continued to stare down. "What's wrong?"

"Hmm…" It seemed silly to say out loud so he wasn't sure if he should.

"It's okay. You can tell me." She stroked his back to soothe him. "What is it?"

Jaxon grabbed the middle of the chair between his knees as he stared down. "It's just that… I don't know if I'm ready to go back to school."

Xion laughed a little and then smiled for comfort. "Why are you thinking about that? It's summer. This is the time to have fun."

"I know…" he moaned slightly.

Curious, she tilted her head to try and meet his gaze. "What's got you down then? Is homework too hard or-?"

"I'm the smallest one in my class," he murmured.

"Oh! It's not a bad thing."

"But…" He pouted. "Everyone picks on me because of it." He looked off toward the side. "Even Xenna and Daxs do sometimes…" Xion looked concerned as he spoke. "I don't understand…"

She wrapped her arm around him. "Oh Jaxon… You're stronger than you know. I've seen it firsthand."

He looked up at her surprised. "Really?"

Xion smiled as she nodded. "Hmm-Hmm…" She thought about what to say to help him. "I never told you this, but when I was younger, I had others who picked on me too."

He stared at her with surprise and wonder. "Really?"

Her eyes traveled down as she thought back. "It wasn't easy, but I had to fight and stand up for myself." Then, she smiled to assure him. "Just let whoever messes with you know to leave you alone and if they don't, I'll be there to help you, okay?" Jaxon still seemed unsure. She embraced him as she closed her eyes. "Don't worry! You'll be fine." Afterwards, she parted from him and smiled for comfort. "I won't anyone hurt you."

Jaxon gave a look of unease. "Okay…"

"Now. It's time to go to bed. I'll tuck you in." Xion followed him to his room and he crawled into his bed underneath the covers. She sat down beside him. "Good night." Then, she noticed that he looked a little worried. "Do you want me to leave the light on for you?" Jaxon nodded a few times. Afterwards, she plugged in a night light. When she was about to leave, she still noticed the worried look on his face. "Do you want me to stay?" He nodded a few more times. Gently she smiled and cuddled in beside him. Both of them fell asleep beside each other.

Sometime later, the door to the apartment opened. Everything around sounded quiet. First, the blonde-haired man headed to his bathroom and noticed it was empty. If Xion wasn't there, he wondered where she could be. Then, he thought of the one place where he found her before. He stepped inside of the boys' room. The room was lit by a shaded lamp and the night light by Jaxon's bed. He moved over toward the side where she was and pressed his lips on the side of her head. "Hey…" he whispered.

Xion closed her eyes tight before she looked over. "Roxas…?" He stood up straight and headed out of the room. Lightly, she brushed Jaxon's hair. It didn't seem to wake him. Tired, she let out a faint smile and then cut off the lamp. Afterwards, she walked into the kitchen where he sat at the counter. She smiled, happy to see him back. "Welcome home."

He popped open a can of beer. "You're sleeping in Jax's room again?"

Xion sat down beside him. "He feels better when I sleep next to him. He was really sad today."

"What's wrong?" he asked curious.

She looked concerned. "Jax told me that some kids have been picking on him because he's the smallest one in his class."

Roxas arched his eyebrow. "What did you say to him?"

She turned her head to him. "I told him that he should stand up for himself and I told him how I was picked on too."

A part of him was worried about how much detail she went into. "Did you tell him everything that happened?"

She shook her head. "No. I think he's too young to know about that. I'm just worried because I don't want him to get hurt."

His finger lightly brushed against her arm, which she became curious. "They disappeared a long time ago."

She grabbed onto his arm where she saw a faint line. "I just wished yours had to."

"It's mostly gone." He stood up. "Don't worry about Jax. I'll teach him how to defend himself."

Xion smiled a little through her worry. "I keep thinking back to when he was born…"

Roxas sighed with his eyes closed as he sat back beside her. "It was a tough time back then."

"He was born prematurely. Earlier than Xenna and Daxs… I didn't think he was going to survive and I couldn't bear it if I lost another child…" Even now, the thought still made her sad. "…but I knew that he was a fighter and he proved it. I kept thinking about what I could've done differently, so that he wouldn't have to struggle."

He didn't want her to blame herself in any way. "You didn't do anything wrong. That's just how things turned out. Jax's not different from anyone else."

Her eyes traveled down as she let out a gentle smile. "I know you're right. Still… I just want to be there to help him whenever I can."

Roxas smiled a little and placed his hand against her back to comfort her. "I know."

Afterwards, another thought came to mind that she wanted to bring up. Afraid of what he would say, she looked at him. "Someday...if it's all right with you...I want to tell them about the brother or sister they could've had..."

He stared at her for a moment before he stood up. He understood that Xion didn't want to keep anything from their children, but inside, he was worried how the story would affect them. Still, they couldn't hide that part of themselves. "If you think they can handle it... then we'll talk to them about it...someday..." Then, he began to head to their room.

Xion watched him, surprised. "Where are you going?"

Tired, he rubbed the back of his head. "I'm going to bed."

She stood up concerned. "At least let me fix you something to eat. I don't want you to go to bed on an empty stomach."

He looked back toward her. "You don't have to go through the trouble."

She smiled to assure him. "Really…I don't mind." After some time, Roxas ate as Xion stood across from him. It made her happy to see him taking care of himself. "You've been working really hard. I hope that you can take it easy soon. The kids are old enough now that I can go back to work."

"Don't worry about it. This is what you really wanted to do, right? To be a mom?" Words didn't leave her lips. It seemed he could already tell. He stood up. "I know you like to stay home and take care of them, so it's okay."

She looked concerned. "But what about-?"

Roxas stopped before he headed to their room and put his fingers to his chin. "I do like living here in Twilight Town, but let's face it…" He turned toward her. "This place is too small for us. We need to move."

She became curious. It seemed like he already had an idea in mind. "Where would you want to go?"

"Maybe…" He had the same thought for a while, but wasn't sure what she would think of it. "Maybe we should go home." Right away, he noticed the stunned look on her face. "It's just a thought."

Xion looked a little concerned. "We have a lot of memories there."

"But there's good ones too," he pointed out.

"Hmm…" She still had her concerns about moving back to the islands. Then, she followed him into their room. Roxas sat down on the bed as he breathed out. He still seemed tense. As she stared at him, a thoughtful idea came to mind. "I know what will help. Let me run you a warm bath."

A few minutes, he sat in soothing, warm water. Xion massaged his back as she sat on the edge of the tub. As he relaxed, his eyes lowered to a close. "That feels really good."

She smiled. "You really need to relax. You feel tense."

Later that night, the two lied in bed beside each other. Roxas leaned his head against her chest as he slept. As she stared up at the ceiling, Xion wondered again if they should move back home…

* * *

The next month had passed by quickly. They traveled by boat and made it in a few hours to the island. They went to the spot on the beach where they met with the rest of their family that were already there. Roxas leaned back against his chair with his hands behind his head. He began to relax now that he was back. "Yo!" He looked over to spot the fire red-haired man wave toward him.

Roxas sat up a little. "Hey Axel! You made it!"

Axel grinned. "Yup! You did too!" He sat down near the edge of Roxas's lounge chair and looked forward. He noticed the kids playing near the water. "They get bigger every time I see them. I need to stop by more often."

Roxas looked uneasy. He hadn't let Axel in on his plan yet. "We're…actually thinking about moving back here…"

Axel reacted with surprise. "Really?"

"Yeah. We could find a bigger place down here and the kids would have more room and we would be near family," Roxas explained.

Axel's eyes traveled down disappointed. "Oh…"

Roxas didn't want him to get the wrong idea. "You're family too you know, but I'm not sure what to do. My brother Sora said that things aren't as bad as when the organization was here."

"Yeah. Some of the members are either locked in prison or they moved far away from this place." Axel smiled a little. "At least this experience brought one of my friends back. Joining the organization had really changed Saix, but now that he's out, he's apologized for what happened."

Roxas looked curious. "The two of you are still living together?"

"Yeah." Axel breathed out. If Roxas wanted to go, it couldn't be helped. "Well…if you move here, I won't stop you."

Concern came to Roxas. "That's the other thing… I can't move here if there's the chance that she-."

"You mean Larxene right?" Axel filled in for him.

"I can't risk anyone else getting hurt, especially them." For a moment, both of them glanced toward the three young children in the distance before they turned their attention back to each other.

"I doubt you'll have to worry. Last I heard, she was still in and I doubt she would want to come back here. Not after what her father did to her… She wants nothing to do with him." Axel scratched the back of his head. "Well…I guess I'll have to visit you guys here then. Won't be as often, but I'll still visit." Roxas wondered if it was really the right move.

Suddenly, they heard a familiar voice. "Hey Axel!" They turned their heads to see Xion stand nearby with a smile.

Axel smiled toward her. "Hey Xion!"

She placed her hands together in front of her. "I'm glad that you could make it."

Axel nodded. "Me too." Afterwards, he stood up. "I'm gonna say hi to the kiddos. I'll be right back."

Xion smiled as she watched him walk away and then sat on the chair beside Roxas. "That looked like it was serious."

"I was just telling Axel about us moving. He thinks that this place has gotten safer since we've been here."

Her eyes traveled down, still concerned. "Hmm…"

He wondered if that made her feel any better about moving back. "Maybe it will be okay for them."

She became curious. "So? Does that mean yes?" Roxas was still unsure himself.

Then, Jaxon ran over and stopped in front of them. "Mommy!" He looked between them. "Are you guys coming in too?"

Xion looked up at him. "Jax? Could you do me a favor? Could you ask your brother and sister to come over here too?"

Jaxon was surprised by her request. "O-Okay." He ran over and then brought the others back over. They sat on the edge of the chair as they stared at their parents curiously.

Roxas and Xion glanced at each other before they turned their attention to them. "Me and your dad were talking and we were thinking about moving to a bigger place."

At first, they were surprised to hear the news, but then Xenna along with her brothers grinned. "Cool!"

Daxs held his fist in the air. "Maybe I could get my own room!"

Roxas and Xion stared at each other before they looked back at them concerned. "We were… thinking about moving here instead. We could find a bigger place and you would be near your cousins." Xion leaned forward toward them. "I know you guys have made friends, but it doesn't mean you can't see them again. So…? What do you think?"

The three looked at each other and then back at them. Daxs grinned. "We could see the beach all the time!"

Jaxon looked a little concerned, but he would trust that his parents knew best. "I don't really mind."

Then, they noticed that Xenna seemed quiet. Xion became concerned. "Xenna? Is it too much?"

Xenna looked over toward the others before she spoke. "I guess it will be fine… as long as I don't have to share a room with these two."

Xion embraced her. "This could be a good change."

"I hope so…" Xenna still sounded unsure.

Xion smiled toward them. "That was all. Go off and play." Xenna and Daxs ran and headed toward the water. Before Jaxon could run off, he heard his mother's voice. "Hold on Jax!" She squeezed some lotion onto her hand. "You're not used to being out in the sun this long. Here." She placed some over his skin.

"Mom… Not in front of the others…" Jaxon groaned. After she was done, he took off running.

Roxas chuckled a little. "You can't keep babying him."

Xion grinned as she placed her finger to her lips. "I know… but I can for just for a little longer."

Both of them stared forward and watched as the children played. Roxas rested his arm against the top of his knee. "Well… that went a little easier than expected."

Xion sat back along with him. "I hope this is the right thing to do."

He turned his head toward her. "We'll never know until we actually move."

She curled up beside him as she wrapped her arm around his. "Yeah… This could be a good thing…For all of us..."

* * *

 _Well that's the end of this story! It was fun to write! I wrote some Roxas x Xion stories in the past, but this one seemed to get the most response._

 _ **Side Notes:** As far as names for the kids, I wanted something with an 'X' in them just like how the organization members' names are. _

_If you would like to read more, I've been working on a side story that I plan to release next year called "Life: It's Only Just Begun" It takes place between their last years of college up to the epilogue. If interested, look out for it! Thanks for reading!_


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